Chicken and Corn Chowder - Slow Cooker Thursday

Must be the season, but I am all over soups these days.  I was thinking about making a broccoli cheddar soup this week but then changed my mind last minute...then at daycare, they made broccoli cheddar soup for the kids for their snack...great minds think alike!  Instead I opted to try a Chicken and Corn Chowder, which I found in the Best of Bridge Slow Cookers Cookbook.  Here is my slightly amended version of the recipe:

4 slices bacon

1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups organic chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 bay leaves
3 skinless bone-in chicken thighs
1 red pepper, chopped
2 cups corn kernels, thawed
1 can evaporated milk, warmed

In a large skillet, fry the bacon until crispy.  Remove the bacon, put on a plate with paper towel and cool (refrigerate).  Drain most of the bacon grease from the skillet, reserving approximately 1 tablespoon (keep this in the pan). 

Over medium heat, cook the onions, garlic and tomato paste.  Cook for about 3 minutes.  Add in the flour, and slowly pour in the chicken broth.  Stir well.  Add in salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Meanwhile, in your slow cooker, put your carrots and potatoes along the bottom.  Add in the bay leaves.  Place your chicken thighs on top of these vegetables.  Take your skillet and pour the mixture into the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours, or on high for 2 1/2-3 hours.  When pierced chicken runs clear, you are ready to move onto the next step.

Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred the meat away from the bones.  Add the chicken back into the soup, throw away the bones.

Crumble your bacon and add it to the slow cooker.  Add in the red pepper and corn, mix well.  Slowly add the warmed milk to the slow cooker (I warmed my milk by putting the can in a bowl of hot water). 

Cover and cook on high for 20-25 minutes - or until the soup is hot and the red pepper has started to soften.

Remove bay leaves.  Season with salt and pepper according to your taste.

VERDICT:
My husband and I both really enjoyed this soup!  At the time of typing, our kids still haven't tried it - both are fighting a bug and both slept through dinner.  I will have to update once we have their verdicts too!  This is one that we wil make again :-)

Check out the Best of Bridge Slow Cookers Cookbook and other great titles over at Robert Rose!