Chicken & Corn Chowder

Ingredients

• 2-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (optional)
   
• 2 tbsp garlic salt (optional, for chicken)
   
• ½ medium onion finely diced
   
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
   
• 1 cup baby carrots
   
• 1½ cups potato peeled and diced
   
• 1 bay leaf
   
• 1 tsp thyme
   
• 1/8-1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
   
• 2 tsp salt
   
• 2 cups chicken broth
   
• 3 cups corn fresh or frozen
   
• 1½ cups half-and-half (I use ¾ cup milk and ¾ cup heavy cream)
   
• Bacon Bits & Chives (optional)

Instructions

For Chicken (Optional):

1. Place the chicken into a pot with water slightly covering the chicken. Add garlic salt and bring to a boil.
    
2. Boil chicken for approx. 15-20 min, or until internal temperature reaches 180º F. Remove from pot and place into a bowl.
    
3. Shred the chicken using forks and set aside.

For Chowder:

1. Saute onions and garlic with the bacon greese or (olive oil) over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
    
2. Add potato, carrots, salt, thyme, bay leaf, pepper and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer for an additional 8-15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender (fork goes into potato easliy).
    
3. Add corn and simmer an additional 5-8 minutes for fresh corn, 8-12 for frozen corn.
    
4. Add milk/cream (or half-and-half) into soup mixture and bring to a boil while stirring. Simmer 5 minutes to thicken.
    
5. Remove bay leaf and discard. Remove 2-3 cups of chowder (avoiding the baby carrots) and blend. Stir blended mixture back into the soup.
    
6. Reduce heat and stir in the chicken (optional).
    
7. Garnish with bacon bits or chives (optional).