Thrive Version

The Best Clam Chowder with Fennel and Herbs

Name: The Best Clam Chowder with Fennel and Herbs
Ingredients: 4 1/2 cups fish stock; 6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams); 1/4 pound salted butter (1 stick); 1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1 1/2 cups); 1 serrano chile, finely minced; 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 1/2 cups); 2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup); 1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushed; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed; 3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups); 2 1/2 cups heavy cream; salt and freshly cracked black pepper; 1/2 cup minced parsley; 1/4 cup minced chives; buttered toast

A briny, creamy clam chowder with fennel, chile, and herbs, kept close to the original but a little lighter and cleaner in finish.

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Based on Recipe: The BEST Clam Chowder.

PublishedKeep the tasteHealthier overallLower caloriesLower saturated fatLower calories Lower saturated fat Stovetop

Published by Andrea Hardcastle.

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USDA estimate · per serving

Original vs Thrive

Confidence: medium

Some amounts used typical kitchen weights, like a medium onion or a can.. Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central, not from the language model. They are estimates, not medical advice.

	Original	Thrive	Change
Calories	882	769	Calories −113, improved
Protein	11.7g	11.1g	Protein −0.6g, not an improvement
Fiber	4g	4g	Fiber 0g, same
Fat	66.9g	54.6g	Fat −12.3g, improved
Saturated fat	41.1g	33.3g	Saturated fat −7.8g, improved
Carbs	61.5g	60.9g	Carbs −0.6g, improved
Sugar	21.3g	20.8g	Sugar −0.5g, improved
Sodium	2200mg	2194mg	Sodium −6mg, improved

6 ingredients used a typical kitchen weight (an onion, a can, a stick of butter).
3 ingredients could not be matched or converted, so the total is incomplete.

Ingredient matching

Original

4 1/2 cups fish stockSoup, stock, beef, home-prepared · 1080g
6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams)Beverages, Clam and tomato juice, canned · 2722g
1/3 pound salted butter (1 1/2 sticks or six 1-inch cubes)Butter, unsalted · 151g
1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1 1/2 cups)Fennel, bulb, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 serrano chile, finely mincedPeppers, serrano, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)Onions, raw · 110g — Used a typical piece weight of 110g for onions, raw.
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)Celery, raw · 120g — Used a typical piece weight of 40g for celery, raw.
2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)Carrots, raw · 122g — Used a typical piece weight of 61g for carrots, raw.
1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushed1Celery, raw · 2g
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushedSpices, fennel seed · 5g
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)Not counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
3 cups heavy creamCream, heavy whipping · 714g
salt and freshly cracked black pepperNot counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
1/2 cup minced parsleyParsley, fresh · 120g — Used 240g per cup for Parsley, fresh.
1/4 cup minced chivesHam, minced · 60g — Used 240g per cup for Ham, minced.
buttered toastBread, egg, toasted — No amount to convert.

Thrive Version

4 1/2 cups fish stockSoup, stock, beef, home-prepared · 1080g
6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams)Beverages, Clam and tomato juice, canned · 2722g
1/4 pound salted butter (1 stick)Butter, unsalted · 113g
1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1 1/2 cups)Fennel, bulb, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 serrano chile, finely mincedPeppers, serrano, raw — No unit, and no typical piece weight.
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)Onions, raw · 110g — Used a typical piece weight of 110g for onions, raw.
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)Celery, raw · 120g — Used a typical piece weight of 40g for celery, raw.
2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)Carrots, raw · 122g — Used a typical piece weight of 61g for carrots, raw.
1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushedCelery, raw · 2g
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushedSpices, fennel seed · 5g
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)Not counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
2 1/2 cups heavy creamCream, heavy whipping · 595g
salt and freshly cracked black pepperNot counted — Kitchen tool or garnish, not counted.
1/2 cup minced parsleyParsley, fresh · 120g — Used 240g per cup for Parsley, fresh.
1/4 cup minced chivesHam, minced · 60g — Used 240g per cup for Ham, minced.
buttered toastBread, egg, toasted — No amount to convert.

What we would not change

Cherrystone clams
They are the defining flavor and texture of the chowder; smaller or milder seafood would change the dish.
Fish stock plus clam steaming broth
This is the savory backbone of the soup and carries the marine flavor.
Fennel, serrano, celery seed, and fennel seed
These are signature additions that give the chowder its identity and aroma.
Yukon Gold potatoes
They provide the classic starchy body and creamy mouthfeel without needing extra thickeners.
Fresh parsley and chives
They finish the soup with brightness and should stay.
Buttered toast
It is part of the intended serving and gives the needed textural contrast.

What changed, and why

1/3 pound salted butter → 1/4 pound salted butter
A small reduction trims saturated fat and calories while keeping enough butter for the chowder’s savory base.
Flavor: Still tastes buttery and rich, just a touch less heavy.
Texture: Retains the glossy sautéed vegetable base without making the soup feel greasy.
3 cups heavy cream → 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
Reducing cream slightly lowers calories and saturated fat without changing the dish into something else.
Flavor: Keeps the chowder luxurious but less bluntly rich.
Texture: Still creamy and silky, with enough body from the potatoes and clam broth.
Instructions: add the clams and heavy cream and simmer for about 20 minutes → Add the clams and cream late, then warm very gently for about 10 minutes without boiling
A shorter, gentler finish avoids unnecessary reduction of cream and helps preserve the clams with less overcooking.
Flavor: Cleaner clam flavor and a fresher dairy note.
Texture: Clams stay tender instead of tightening, and the cream stays smooth.
Strain the broth through a strainer lined with cheesecloth (or a coffee filter) and reserve → Strain the broth carefully into a clean bowl or pot before using
Removing grit doesn’t change nutrition directly, but it keeps the recipe cleaner and more satisfying so no extra rich garnish is needed to cover flaws.
Flavor: Brighter, cleaner clam flavor.
Texture: Eliminates sandy texture in the finished chowder.
Serve with buttered toast → Serve with lightly buttered toast
A lighter hand with the toast butter trims a little extra saturated fat while preserving the classic accompaniment.
Flavor: Still buttery enough to belong with the chowder.
Texture: Keeps the crisp-soft contrast without adding unnecessary richness.

Thrive Version

Servings

Per-serving USDA estimates stay the same. Ingredient amounts scale with the pot.

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups fish stock
6 pounds cherrystone clams (about 48 clams)
1/4 pound salted butter (1 stick)Reduced slightly to lighten the base while keeping the buttery flavor.
1 fennel bulb, minced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 serrano chile, finely minced
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon celery seeds, toasted and crushed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
3 small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced (about 3 cups)
2 1/2 cups heavy creamReduced slightly to keep the chowder rich but less heavy.
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced chives
buttered toastKeep as serving accompaniment.

Instructions

Pour the fish stock into a large pot and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Add the clams, cover, and cook just until they open, about 8 minutes. As the clams open, transfer them to a bowl with tongs so they do not overcook.
Strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or coffee filter into a clean bowl or pot to remove any grit or sand. Reserve the strained broth.
Shuck the cooked clams, trim away any tough pieces if needed, and coarsely chop the meat. Set aside.
In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the fennel, serrano chile, onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and glossy, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in the celery seeds and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
Add the potatoes and the reserved broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the chopped clams and heavy cream. Season lightly with salt and generously with black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and warm the chowder very gently for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally; do not let it boil.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with the parsley and chives. Serve immediately with lightly buttered toast.

Taste impact: moderate.

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