This Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder is so warming, filling, rich tasting, and perfect for a winter lunch or dinner. 

I am so excited about this Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder. I love the fact that this is not a "dump and run" slow cooker recipe. There's some prep involved, both at the beginning and end, which adds freshness and deep flavor to the soup.

Mr. Kitchen has a bias against corn, and yet he loved this soup. This totally worked for me. (P.S. It happens a lot in this house with new recipes).

One of my favorite ingredients in this soup is a small amount of pureed canned chipotles in adobo sauce. I usually keep some in my refrigerator at all times to add to eggs, quesadillas, and meat dishes. I open the can, add it to a Working Glass, puree it with my immersion blender, snap on the lid, and stick it into the refrigerator. That way, I can take out what I need when I need it.

The recipe begins with bacon, onions, lots of garlic, and thyme. I absolutely love the red potatoes in this soup too. They hold up so well to the four to six hours of slow cooking without disintegrating. As a bonus, you don't have to peel them.

The recipe also calls for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They really hold up to the long simmer in the slow cooker. This soup is filling and warming without being too caloric. Leftovers are pretty fantastic too!

This month, the Fantastical Food Fight is all about slow cooker soups. I'm always looking for great slow cooker recipes! After the recipe, be sure to scroll all of the way down to check out the rest of the Fantastical Food Fight participants' links.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 3 slices of bacon, minced
• 2 large brown onions, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 5 cups of low sodium chicken broth, divided
• 1 pound of red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
• Salt and pepper
• 1 large red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1-15 ounce can of creamed corn
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. In a 12 inch skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until softened.
2. Add the garlic, tomato paste, and the thyme and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook while stirring for about a minute. Add 2 cups of the broth to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer the mixture from the skillet to the slow cooker.
3. Add the rest of the broth to the slow cooker. Add the potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, and stir.
4. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs on both sides and lay them on top of the mixture in the slow cooker. Cover and cook the mixture on low for 4 to 6 hours, until the chicken is tender. Mine was ready in 4 1/2 hours.
5. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, let cool for about five minutes, and shred it with two forks into bite sized pieces.
6. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the mixture in the slow cooker, and remove the bay leaves.
7. Microwave the bell pepper with the teaspoon of oil in a bowl, stirring between one minute bursts, until softened, for a total of about 3 minutes.
8. In another bowl, microwave the creamed corn and frozen corn until hot, about 3 minutes.
9. Add the bell peppers, corn mixture, shredded chicken, cream, and the chipotles into the soup and let sit covered on warm for about 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. This soup is also excellent made in advance.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution.

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