Mmm Monday: Cheddar Chicken Chowder

(Cooking Light Nov/Dec 1996)

Preparation Time: 20 min Cook Time: 40 min Oven Temp: Stove top prep
Storage Conditions/Days: Refrigerator ~5 days, can be frozen ~3 months

Ingredients:
· 2 bacon slices
· 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
· 1 cup chopped onion
· 1 cup diced red bell pepper
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· 4 ½ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (I put in 2 cans)
· 1 ¾ cups diced peeled red potato
· 2 ¼ cups frozen whole-kernel corn
· ½ cup all-purpose flour
· 2 cups 2% low-fat milk (I used skim)
· ¾ cups (3 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
· ½ teaspoon salt (to taste)
· ¼ teaspoon black pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Set aside. Add the chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potato, and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add corn; stir well.
2. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in the cheddar cheese, salt, and black pepper. Top with the crumbled bacon.

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1 ½ cups)
Calories 306; fat 7.5 g; protein 25g; carb 33.7g; fiber 2.9g; chol 58g; iron 1.6mg; sodium 376mg; calc 193mg

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