Roast Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts – Bone in, skin on

2 lb bag of Frozen Corn

4 cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock

1 Green Pepper – Finely diced

1 Med. Onion – Finely diced

2 Large Carrots – Peeled and finely diced

2 Celery Stalks – Finely diced

4 oz. Crimini Mushrooms – Diced

10 Slices of Bacon

2 Med. Potatoes – Peeled and finely diced

5 Dried Porchini Mushrooms

4 Cups Water

1 Roasted Red Pepper – Finely diced

2 Tbsp Mascarpone Cheese

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

Drizzle chicken breasts with EVOO, ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 40 minutes.  When done, tent with foil and let cool.  Then remove skin and bones and finely shred chicken.

Combine corn, ¼ cup chicken stock, 1 tbsp salt, 1 tbsp pepper and 1 tbsp garlic powder w/ 4 tbsp EVOO.  Mix well to coat and bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring about every 15 minutes.

Line the bottom of the pot you’re going to make the chowder in w/ the bacon strips.  *You’re not actually going to use all 10 strips but you’ll need the bacon fat from all of them and snack on the rest or use them in another recipe.  Turn the stove on low, maybe a notch above the lowest setting.  The goal is to cook the bacon low and slow and extract the fat and eventually crisp up the bacon.  This may take up to an hour depending on your stove.

When the bacon is crisp, remove from pot and leave the bacon fat behind.  You should have about ¼ cup.  Turn the heat up to med/high and add in the onions, carrots, celery, crimini mushrooms.  Cook about 7 minutes or until they have some color on them.

Steep 5 (or so) dried porchini mushrooms in 4 cups of boiling water for 10 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and finely dice.  Add chicken stock, mushroom stock, porchini mushrooms, potatoes, red pepper, roasted corn and chicken to pot.  Simmer 1 hour w/ lid slightly cracked and scrape off excess fat that rises to the surface.

Take 4 cups of chowder and puree.  Add back into pot w/ 4 slices of bacon that’s been finely crumbled and 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese.  Simmer another ½ hour w/ lid cracked.  Season to taste w/ salt and pepper and Enjoy.