(Use Your Leftover Bacon) Chicken Corn Chowder

STORY

I find that most bacon packages are prejudice against the single person. Bacon doesn’t last very long (well-stored bacon only lasts about a week), and the packaging is clearly family-sized. And so, whenever I get a craving for bacon, I have to figure out ways to use up the bacon within a week. One day, when I was reviewing recipes for chowder, I noticed that the corn chowder called for salted pork (which I didn’t have). But I did have bacon. The result? A creamy, rich, decadent chowder that used up all the extra ingredients in my house.

Disclaimer: This recipe shouldn’t be prepared when you’re dieting!

RECIPE

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: ~ 40 minutes
• Total Time: ~ 45 minutes

TOOLS

• 1 8-inch chef’s knife or small food processor
• 1 dutch oven or a 3-1/2-quart sauce pan with lid
• tongs
• 1 wooden cooking spoon
• 1 small bowl
• 1 fork

INGREDIENTS

2 – 3 slices of bacon
1 small onion (roughly chopped)
1/2 stalk of celery (roughly chopped)
1 small potato  (roughly chopped)
1 1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup of milk
1/2 tsp of flour
2 tbsp of heavy cream
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup of shredded chicken
1/2 cup of corn kernels
1 tbsp of herbes de provence
1/4 tsp of salt (if needed)
1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper

METHOD

1. In a Dutch oven or 3-1/2-quart sauce pan brown bacon over medium high heat.
2. Remove bacon from the stove reserving bacon drippings.
3. Add chopped onion and chopped celery and sauté for about five minutes.
4. Add chopped potato and continue to sauté for two minutes.
5. In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of milk with 1/2 tsp of flour, and crush flour into milk with a fork, until lumps are removed.
6. Add 1 cup of chicken stock (reserve the rest, and add periodically if the chowder gets too thick), 1/2 cup of milk, 2 tbsp of heavy cream, 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper, and 1 bay leaf.
7. Stir ingredients together and when the chowder begins to boil, turn the heat down to a simmer.
8. Add lid slightly ajar (allowing steam to escape), and simmer until potatoes soften (checking chowder periodically adding remaining chicken stock if needed.).
9. After potatoes soften, add 1/4 cup of shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of corn kernels, 1 tbsp of herbes de provence, 1/4 tsp of salt (if needed)
10. 1/4 tsp of fresh ground pepper.
11. Simmer for an additional five minutes, remove bay leaf, and serve.

(Photo Credit: Matthew G. Piccolo)