Chicken Chowder with Chipotle

The word “chowder” derives from the french word for cauldron: chaudière.  Into that chaudière go the rich ingredients that make a rich, thick, creamy soup, usually headlined with seafood or corn.

Thick creamy soups are not my jam (my arteries whimper just thinking about them), so I was intrigued, and then thrilled, by this recipe that came to me via the lovely SCP. We made this hearty soup for a friend who needed a little help in the kitchen for a while. I am always on the look-out for healthy, easy soup recipes, and this Chicken Chowder with Chipotle is now officially in the rotation. Serve with a loaf of grainy whole wheat bread, and call it an evening!

This recipe uses one 15-oz can of hominy. What is hominy? No one at my local (large, regional chain) grocery store knew either – nor did anyone know where to find it in their own store, even though they carried a store-brand variety! But it was a 20-minute scavenger hunt well-spent – hopefully you will be able to benefit from my (literal) legwork.

So, what is hominy? It is a corn product, that has been soaked in an alkali solution, which removes the hull and germ of the corn and causes the corn kernel to puff up to about twice its normal size. It has the consistency of a garbanzo bean (chickpea) but the taste of corn. When using a can of hominy (note that there is also a dried version, not to be used here), it should be rinsed and drained just like a can of beans.

And where is hominyin your grocery store? Try the canned vegetable aisle; if it’s not there, try the Southern section or the Mexican section of the international aisle.

Ingredients:
– 1 chipotle chile, chopped (from a small can of chipotle in adobo sauce)
– 1 T extra virgin olive oil
– 2 medium chopped sweet onions (OR 1 large)
– 1 c chopped carrot
– 1/2 c chopped celery
– 1 t ground cumin
– 1/2 t dried oregano
– 1/2 t dried thyme
– 6 garlic cloves, crushed
– 6 c fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
– 2 medium boneless chicken breasts
– 2 small red potatoes, diced (OR 1 large)
– 1 15-oz can white or golden hominy, rinsed and drained
– 1/4 c whipping cream OR skim milk
– 1 t adobo sauce (from the same can)
– 1 c drained diced tomato
– 1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro

How do I make it?

• Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot (or chaudière, if you have one) over medium heat. Add the 1 T oil; when heated, add chopped chile, onion, carrot, celery, cumin, oregano, thyme, and garlic. Cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently.
• Add just a little broth (about 1/4 c), and as it sizzles, scrape up the herbs and vegetables that have probably browned on the bottom of the pan. Add the rest of the broth and bring to a boil.
• Add chicken and cover the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (don’t hesitate to just cut in to it to see if it is white in the thickest part).
• Remove the pot from the burner.
• Remove chicken with a fork or slotted spoon, and cool slightly. Shred chicken with 2 forks, or chop finely, and keep it to the side.
• Prepare a large bowl – there is going to be a bit of transferring going on.
• Now we need to blend the soup in 3 or 4 batches. Place one-third (or one quarter – we are not in a hurry here) of broth mixture in a blender or food processor, being careful to not add too much (if you add too much hot liquid, it will kind of implode/explode). Process until smooth. Pour pureed broth mixture into the large bowl.
• Repeat procedure in two (or three) more batches with remaining broth mixture. Return pureed mixture to the pot, and return the pot to the burner, over medium heat.
• Stir in the potatoes and hominy and bring to a simmer.
• Cook, uncovered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in chicken and cream (or milk); simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved adobo sauce, tomatoes, and cilantro.

More info please?

I recommend adding a third chicken breast at the cooking stage, and removing it for later use, either on a salad, or in a stir fry, or in a chicken salad. Or any other way you would use chicken. This is a great, easy method to add some flavor, and will save you cooking time later!

Original link: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chupe-de-pollo-con-chipotle-chicken-chowder-with-chipotle-10000000833307/