Chicken and Corn Chowder

There was a Latin American tasting event one day at work. Of course our dept was downstairs for the event. Who doesn't love free food? What we stumbled upon were tables and tables of delicious, authentic Latin American cuisine. The best thing I had that day was this chicken and corn chowder, topped with a bit of cheese and scallions. It was really simple, but delicious.

With the Fall season breezing in, I have been making a soup each week. This week I wanted to make my own replica of that tasty dish I enjoyed at work. I added more to it like bacon and potatoes of course. And a homemade chicken broth for more flavor. I topped the chowder with some shredded Havarti cheese and scallions. It was a success. I hope you try it!

Chicken and Corn Chowder

Ingredients

For the chicken broth:
1 whole chicken
4 stalks celery
1 onion, peeled
1 bundle thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tsp coriander
3 cloves garlic, crushed

For the chowder:
5 slices bacon, diced
3 ears yellow corn
2 lg russet potatoes, diced
3 tbsp flour
3 tsp cumin
2 c chicken broth
3 1/2 c whole milk
1 c heavy cream
8 oz Havarti cheese, shredded
1 bundle scallions, chopped
salt and pepper

To make the broth:
Add all the stock ingredients in a large stockpot. Cover the chicken with enough water so that there's an inch of water above the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer for an hour. Skim fat off the surface of the water as needed. Remove the whole chicken from the broth, and shred the meat off its bones. Set the meat aside for use later.

To make the chowder:
In a large pot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until they have given off enough fat and are crispy. Add the kernels from the corn and the potatoes. Cook for about 5 mins. Next add the onion that was used in making the broth - dice it so it'll be easier to eat. Then add the cumin and flour. Stir until incorporated. Then whisk in the chicken broth made earlier, milk, and cream. Once it has been brought to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer for about 30-40 mins. Add the shredded chicken from earlier. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top your bowls of chowder with the shredded cheese and scallions and enjoy!

Things to note: I added the skin to mine because I think it's the best part of the chicken. Matt didn't like them though. Personal preference. Also, when I added the chicken, it surprisingly thickened up the chowder. Something to note when you're letting it simmer to the consistency you want.