Corn & Crab Chowder with Fingerling Potato Chips

Crab Chowder vs. Crab Bisque

Both are often paired with seafood but the big difference is texture! Chowders like this corn and crab version are chunkier. They’re more of a rustic soup with whole pieces of corn and potatoes or other vegetables. Bisques are fully puréed and often strained giving them a smooth and silky, creamy texture.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Crab – I prefer to use lump crab in this recipe because it’s slightly less expensive than jumbo lump crab, but you still get large chunks and lots of distinct yet delicate crab flavor!
• Corn – I love making the most of sweet summer corn picked up from local farm stands. When buying ears corn, look for a bright green husk that is tight around the corn. Feel the kernels through the husk, they should be plump. (I like to peel back a section of the husk to double check the kernels.) Look at the tassel (the strings at the top), it should be yellow or light brown – it should have a sweet smell. This recipe can be made with 3 cups of frozen or canned corn as a substitute.
• Bacon – The bacon is added to a cold pan so that it cooks evenly and the fat has rendered. The rendered bacon fat is used as a flavorful and rich base for the soup. I like the smokiness the applewood smoked bacon adds, though it can easily be substituted with pancetta in this recipe.
• Chicken stock – I use chicken stock in this soup though it can be swapped for either chicken broth or vegetable stock.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Swaps and Substitutions

• Crab: Swap in lump crab, claw meat, or even shrimp if that’s what you have on hand.
• Corn: Fresh corn is ideal, but frozen corn works well and requires no thawing.
• Dairy: Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a slightly lighter chowder.
• Potatoes: Yukon golds are best, but russet potatoes will work in a pinch.

How to Make Crab and Corn Chowder with Fingerling Potato Chips (Step-by-Step)

1. Cook the bacon. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat then add the diced bacon to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the bacon is crispy and most of the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving as much rendered fat in the pan as possible and set the bacon aside.
2. Cook the onions. Return the Dutch oven to heat then add the butter and allow to melt. Add the onions to the pot, stirring occasionally until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds.
3. Make the base of the soup. Add the corn, continuing to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the paprika, cayenne and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant. Stir in the chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme, Bring the soup to a boil then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.
4. Blend part of the soup. Remove the bay leaves and thyme from the pot and discard. Ladle half of the soup into a blender and puree until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir to combine.
5. Finish with cream. Whisk in the cream, then return to the soup to a simmer and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Season with kosher salt and white pepper to taste, then stir in the crabmeat and bacon.
6. Heat oil to fry the potatoes. Place ½-inch of oil in a fry pan and heat to 350°F (180ºC).
7. Slice potatoes. Thinly slice the potatoes using a mandolin or a knife. In a large bowl combine the paprika, kosher salt, black pepper and garlic powder and set aside.
8. Fry potatoes. Add some of the potatoes in a single layer to the pan and fry in batches until golden brown and crispy on each side, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the chips from the oil and drain on a paper towel-lined plate then toss in the bowl with the seasoning. Sprinkle the chives over the top.
9. Serve. Ladle the soup into warmed soup bowls and top with the fingerling potato chips.

What Type of Crab Should I Use?

There are several different grades of crab meat sold already out of the shell in stores or online for purchase.

1. Jumbo lump crab (also known as colossal lump) is the highest quality – the pearly white large chunks of crab come from where the crabs connect to the swimmer fins. They’re the most expensive because there are only two of these per crab.
2. Lump crab meat comes from broken pieces of jumbo lump crab and large chunks of body meat. It’s slightly less expensive than the jumbo grade but still has great flavor and a bright color (should be white to slightly off-white).
3. Backfin crab meat consists of smaller pieces of broken lump crab meat mixed with smaller pieces of body meat. It’s still textured and has a good flavor. Plus, it’s a a great option if you can’t find lump crab meat. 
4. Claw meat is small and looks more shredded and is a pinkish-tannish color. It is very flavorful but too shredded for crab cakes and is best in soups!