Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe

Pan size: large soup pot Cooking time: 20 minutes Servings: 6

Mild green chiles, chili powder, and cilantro give a Southwest flavor to chicken corn chowder. Don't be discouraged by the list of ingredients. This chowder goes together in no time. The mild green chiles are not spicy at all, so don't hesitate if you can't handle spicy foods. If you do like it spicy, just add hot sauce to taste or spicier chiles. Serve in an edible bread bowl for an impressive and tasty presentation.

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped into large chunks
4 cups chicken broth
2 red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 (4 ounces) can chopped mild green chiles, drained
1 large chicken breast cut into 1-inch bites
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
2 cups Mexican 4-cheese blend shredded cheese
1 roasted red pepper, cut into 1-inch strips (jarred is fine)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
hot sauce to taste
shredded cheese and additional chopped cilantro for garnish
6 bread bowls for serving

Preparation:
In a large soup pot, saute the sweet onions in butter or olive oil until they begin to turn translucent and fragrant. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, oregano, poultry seasoning, chili powder, salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Bring to a low boil and simmer about ten minutes, until potatoes are just barely tender. Add the corn and simmer until corn is heated through.

Remove about 1-1/2 cups of the chowder and puree in a blender or food processor. Return puree to the chowder and add green chiles and chicken. Simmer about 5 minutes to cook chicken. Add cream and shredded cheese. Stir until incorporated and cheese has melted. Gently stir in red pepper, cilantro, and hot sauce to taste.

Serve in bread bowls with additional shredded cheese and cilantro for garnish.