Weekend Recipe - Smoky Roasted Chicken and Corn Chowder

Hello friends!  I wanted to share this lightened up chowder recipe that is DELICIOUS.  I've made this several times, and it's always a hit!  This is perfect for these cold winter nights!
 

Smoky Roasted Chicken and Corn Chowder

From:  Taste of Home Healthy Cooking Magazine 

Yield:  6 Servings

Prep/Total Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped                    

1 cup diced onions                                                                        

1/2 cup each diced celery and diced red bell pepper                     

2 tsp. minced garlic                                                                        

1 1/2 Tbsp. minced fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried                             

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour                                                               

1 1/2 cups chicken broth                                                               

1 can (12 oz.) 2% evaporated milk

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (14.75 oz.) cream-style corn

2 cups cooked chicken breast

1 Tbsp. hickory flavored barbecue sauce

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt (or to taste)

Preparation Instructions

1.  Cook chopped bacon in a large, non-stick soup pot over medium-high heat until lightly browned but not crisp.  Stir in onions, celery, red pepper and garlic.  Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add thyme and flour.  Mix well.  Stir in broth and evaporated milk.  Bring mixture to a gentle boil and stir continuously until soup thickens slightly.

3.  Reduce heat to medium-low.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Serve hot.

Nutritional Info (per serving):

270 calories, 7.1 total fat (2.6 g saturated fat), 24 g protein, 30 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 53 mg cholesterol, 619 mg sodium

Additional Tips:

• If you don't have evaporated milk, it is okay to substitute skim milk.  I have done this and have found very little difference in flavor and texture.  Also, there is less calories in skim milk, so it will cut down the calorie and fat count a little more.
• I typically prepare the chicken by putting frozen chicken breasts (2 large or 3 small) into a stock pot, covering with water, and bringing to a boil until the chicken is cooked through.  Then, remove the chicken to a cutting board and chop it up.  If you prefer, the chicken can also be roasted in the oven - or for even greater simplicity, you can purchase a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket.  Remove the skin and use only the breast meat.
• If you don't have "hickory-flavor" BBQ sauce, any BBQ sauce will be okay.  My favorites are Sweet Baby Ray's or Famous Dave's Sweet and Sassy.

I hope you enjoy!