Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder

Did y’all watch Parenthood last night?! Seriously, I think that Adam Braverman and Coach Eric Taylor are the two best dads ever to grace TV’s screens.  Parenthood is so refreshing because the lack of wholesome content is not only rampant on TV today, but it has become expected, cool, and edgy. I would totally join the Braverman clan. I dream of having a long rectangle table with mismatched chairs to dine outdoors like Camille and Zeek.

Last night, my sweet Grandmommy came over for dinner. I was craving something hearty and soul-warming. This soup is DA BOMB (to people still say that? whatever). I love soup so very much and this one stole my heart from first spoonful.

This soup is chock-ful of corn, potatoes, peppers, chicken, and basically everything scrumptious.

Sidenote: I love this Le Creuset Stockpot. The bright, happy yellow is so pretty that I keep it on my stovetop even when I’m not cooking for decoration.

Back to the good stuff.

I will say that the poblano peppers give this soup a kick! We love spicy food in our house, so we totally were digging the spice, but beware if you are aversive to a little sweating!

link.

Recipe for Chipotle Chicken and Corn Chowder

adapted from here.

What you need:

• 1 can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 6 small red potatoes, peeled and diced small
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)
• 2 cups diced, cooked chicken (I cooked mine with Tony’s like I always do)
• 1 (30-ounce) can sweet corn, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn
• Juice from 1 lime
• Chopped cilantro, to garnish (optional)
• serve with tortilla chips, sour cream, and extra cheese

What to do:

1. Remove one chile from the can of chiles and mince it. Remove 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce and set it aside to be used later. Save the remaining chiles for another use-these things are gold y’all.
2. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. Add the poblano pepper, red bell pepper, the chile (not sauce yet) from the can, cumin, thyme and oregano, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the peppers become soft. Add the garlic, stir and cook for an additional 30 seconds, or until fragrant.
3. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and cook for 1 minute, or until there is no longer any visible raw flour. Slowly stir in the cream, milk and chicken broth, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir.
4. Add the potatoes, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a knife.
5. Add the shredded cheeses a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until the cheese is completely melted.
6. Finally, stir in the chicken, both cans of corn, lime juice and the reserved 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the soup is completely heated through. Serve immediately.