SMOKY CHICKEN CHOWDER

Smoky Chicken Chowder image

Categories Chicken

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 cups frozen corn, thawed
16 ounces Bacon
1 piece large onion (diced)
3 pieces medium sized potatoes, peeled and diced about 1/2 or 1/4 inch
3 cloves garlic
2 pieces jalepenos (minced)
1/4 cup flour
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cream
1 can petite diced tomatoes (juice drained, fire-roasted or with chilis)
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
2 pieces chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, chopped fine or pureed, (the canned kind - 2 chiles, not 2 cans of chiles)
1 pound diced chicken (smoked or barbequed chicken will tasted best, but use whatever you like)
1 splash salt and pepper (to taste)
1 splash green onion (garnish)

Steps:

Line a baking pan with foil. Spread thawed corn into the pan in a shallow layer, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Roast at 400° for about 15-20 minutes, stirring after about 10 minutes. Roast until corn is golden brown, but do not let it burn. (I skipped this step altogether and just used the fire roasted frozen corn from Trader Joe's)
Fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain bacon drippings into large stock pot. Set bacon aside and crumble to use as a topping for serving.
In the stockpot, sauté the onions in the bacon drippings over medium heat until clear and tender. Add potatoes, garlic, and jalapenos. Sauté and stir for a minute or two. Stir in flour and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add tomatoes, roasted corn, Monterrey Jack cheese, cilantro, chipotle chiles, adobo sauce and chicken.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream and heat through until steaming, but do not boil.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
You can add the bacon into the soup all at once at this point, or crumble some atop each individual bowl of soup. Garnish each serving with additional Monterrey Jack cheese and chopped green onions.