Spicy Chicken Corn Chowder - October 2014

Ingredients-

• 8 slices bacon chopped
• 1 pound(s) skinless, boneless chicken breast cut in bite-size pieces
• 1 ½ cups red pepper chopped
• 1 cup sweet onion chopped
• 2 fresh jalapeno peppers finely chopped
• 4 fresh minced garlic
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 large Yukon gold potatoes chopped
• 2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
• 1 ½ cups whipping cream
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves

• In a 5-6 quart Dutch oven, cook bacon until crisp
• Remove with spoon; set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of drippings in a pan.
• Add chicken to pan. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp each salt and black pepper. Stir over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink; remove.
• Add sweet pepper and onion to pan. Cook and stir until tender. Add jalapeños and garlic; cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in flour. Cook and stir 1 minute.
• Add broth and potatoes. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or just until potatoes are tender; stirring occasionally.
• Stir in chicken, corn, cream, cayenne and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes; stir occasionally
• Discard bay leaves. Top with jalapeño slices, if desired.