Recipe: Corn Chowder with Chicken & Bacon

My favorite thing to happen is when I decide to whip something up on a whim, not really knowing what to expect, and it turns out surprisingly delicious. That was exactly the case with this week's new recipe! I was in a warm & hearty soup kind of mood, and I didn't want to have to go to the grocery... So I started rummaging through the pantry and fridge to see what I had on hand. I've eaten some tasty chowders (clam chowder is my favorite), but never corn chowder. So what the hey? I thought corn chowder sounded pretty good for a Sunday dinner... And it was!

Corn Chowder with Chicken & Bacon

Ingredients:

1 small onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

3-4 slices of bacon

1 large potato

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 small can of creamed corn (8.5oz)

1 small can of sweet corn (8.5oz), drained

1 can of chicken broth (14oz)

1 half-pint of heavy cream

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp flour 

1 tbsp cooking oil 


Start a pot of boiling water on the stove. Peel and chop potato into bit sized pieces and add to the boiling water. While potato is cooking, place chicken breast in a skillet with the cooking oil, cover and cook on medium heat until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside to cool.

In a large saucepan, fry 3-4 slices of bacon over medium heat. Remove bacon once crispy and set aside.  Do not drain grease from the saucepan.

Chop onion and celery and add to the bacon grease in the saucepan. Cook and stir until tender. Add butter and flour; mix until flour is dissolved. 

Add heavy cream to saucepan and stir well. Mix in the can of creamed corn, the drained sweet corn, the chicken broth, and salt & pepper. Heat on med until boiling. Reduce heat to low.

 

Shred the chicken breast, crumble the bacon, and drain the pot of chopped potatoes. Add all of these to the soup in the saucepan, cover and simmer for about 15 more minutes. Serve with warm rolls and enjoy!

Note: I personally like my chowder on the thicker side, but if you feel it's too thick just add a little milk until it reaches your desired consistency. :)