Chicken Corn Chowder TNT

[corazon]

This is my absolute favorite meal for this time of the year. It is good to make right now, when the squash is in season and fresh corn is just at the end of it's season. Be forewarned, it is a labor intensive recipe but you will have corn chowder coming out of your ears for a month. Be sure to use a very big pot! I will be making this tomorrow for dinner! Maybe I will post some pictures...yum!
Chicken Corn Chowder
10 bacon slices*
2 Tablespoons butter (¼ stick)
3 medium white onions, chopped
2 medium red bell peppers, chopped
¼ cup all purpose flour
6 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into ½ inch cubes
2 lbs baking potatoes, peeled, and cut into ½ inch cubes
1 ½ Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
8 ears fresh corn cut away from the cob or 2 16-ounce bags frozen corn kernels
1 cup whipping cream
2 roast chicken using white meat only, shredded
½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Green chili to taste (optional)

Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but ¼ cup drippings from pot. Add butter to pot; melt over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell peppers. Sauté until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Mix in broth, squash, potatoes and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until squash and potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. If using frozen corn add this now as well as cream and green chili. Simmer about 10 minutes. Add chicken, ½ cup cilantro and if using fresh corn; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle chowder into bowls and garnish with remaining cilantro.

*from my understanding, you only use the bacon grease in the recipe. In the past I've just used olive oil and omitted the grease.

[Piccolina]

What a beautiful looking recipe corazon, the addition of butternut squash is something I haven't seen in a chicken & corn chowder before, I'm sure it adds a whole new demention to this TNT classic!

Thank-you for sharing this scrumptious recipe

[Alix]

Yum! thanks! I don't have any green chiles. Can I use some chile flakes instead do you suppose?

[Alix]

I'm going to use my own chicken stock, by my calculations it should be about 10-11cups right? So we are looking at my stock pot not my dutch oven for this right?

[Goodweed of the North]

This recipe tickles someithing deep in me, somewhere in my psyche, and says softly, but irresistably, ultimate comfort food.

The recipe looks so good, that I have coppied it to my recipe files. I've even created a new folder for it, and full credit is given to you, Corazon. It has your name in the title. Thanks for a great looking recipe. Can't wait to try it out (well maybe I can as fresh corn on the cob is a little hard to come by right now).

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

[corazon]

Yes, use your stock pot. It freezes well too.
Sometimes I like to throw a few ladles of the chowder into the blender, then I pour it back into the pot. It thickens it up and adds a bit of texture. I also like blending it to disperse the green chile and cilantro throughout the soup.
I'm not sure about the chile flakes instead. You mean like red pepper flakes? I suppose you could try it. I think the spice in there is quite nice.

[corazon]

Originally Posted by Goodweed of the North

This recipe tickles someithing deep in me, somewhere in my psyche, and says softly, but irresistably, ultimate comfort food.

The recipe looks so good, that I have coppied it to my recipe files. I've even created a new folder for it, and full credit is given to you, Corazon. It has your name in the title. Thanks for a great looking recipe. Can't wait to try it out (well maybe I can as fresh corn on the cob is a little hard to come by right now).

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

Yes, it is pure comfort food. I used frozen corn yesterday. I like cutting it off the cob but the frozen sure is convenient and like you said fresh corn is a little hard to come by right now.

Hope you like it Goodweed. I'm curious to see what you do with it.
It's cold out so this chowder warms you up in more ways than one.