This salmon chowder recipe is a cozy year-round meal for seafood lovers! It highlights fresh salmon, bacon, and yukon gold potatoes. For best results, use seafood or fish stock.
Place a Dutch oven or heavy-bottom saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the bacon, and slowly increase the heat to medium as fat renders into the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned and crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, and discard all but one tablespoon of the fat (I like to save the extra for cooking eggs).
Add the onions and celery to the pan, and cook until soft and slightly brown around the edges, 5-6 minutes. If the bottom of the pan ever becomes too dark like it’s about to burn, add 1-2 tablespoons of water, then use a spatula to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, stirring them back in with the vegetables (this is called deglazing), then reduce the heat slightly.
Add the flour and toss with the vegetables to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes while stirring, then add some of the stock (again using the liquid to deglaze the pan if necessary).
Once the bottom of the pan is free of any glaze, add the remaining stock along with the half-and-half and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the salmon, corn and thyme. Simmer gently for an additional 10-15 minutes, uncovered, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the salmon is cooked through. Remove and discard the thyme stems. Add the cooked bacon back to the pot, and season with salt and pepper. Taste; adjust seasoning if desired.
Garnish each serving with fresh chives.
Notes
See blog post for modifications including how to turn this into a fish chowder or New England chowder. Other waxy potatoes may be substituted for the yukon gold, but avoid starchy options such as russet potatoes. Adding the bacon back to the pot in Step 4 will ultimately soften it. If you would prefer to retain the crispness of the bacon, use it as a garnish along with the chives in Step 5.