Recipe review and cost breakdown

Creamy Spicy Corn Chowder with Chicken

 

2 slices bacon, sliced in 1-inch strips (2 pkg. for 5$, .18)

1 medium yellow onion, diced (.37)

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced (.20)

1 russet potato, diced (.34)

1 small red pepper, diced (from farmers market 3/1$ .34)

3 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed (.84)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (pantry)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (used dried from pantry)

2 cups milk (.38)

3 cups chicken broth (free, from roast chicken carcass and leftover veggie bits from my freezer bag of stock veggies)

2 cups shredded rotisserie cooked chicken (I used leftover chicken (about 1/3 5lb bird) from roast chicken earlier in week  1.66)

Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish (.06)

1 lime, cut into wedges (omitted)

 

In a large saucepot over medium heat cook bacon until crispy and all fat has rendered out. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon fat, add onion, jalapeno, potato, red pepper, corn, salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes. Add thyme.  In a blender, puree half the mixture and add back to the pan. Add milk, chicken broth, and chicken and let simmer for about 5 minutes.  Transfer to serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with cooked bacon, fresh cilantro and a lime wedge.

Total for soup: 4.38 for 6 servings.

 

This really wasn’t much of a “chowder”.  It wasn’t thick and creamy at all, but much more soupy.  You could probably thicken with cornstarch or add another potato in the beginning for more starchiness in the puree.  I like soupy “chowders” so I was fine with that. Hubby thought it was too much onion.  I like onion, and I thought it was fine, but it did seem like there was a lot of onion in there compared to the other ingredients.  Maybe my onion was just too big.  It also took longer than 5 minutes for the potato, corn, etc to soften enough that I felt it was pureeable; I probably cooked it at least ten.  The kidlet refused to eat it like a soup, but would eat the chicken pieces or corn when I fished it out solo on a spoon.

 

Post is linked to:   5$ Dinner Challenge at 5dollardinners.com

 


Posted by in Cooking