Chicken & Corn Chowder

I found this Williams-Sonoma cookbook at McKay's & flagged a few recipes to try. I made their chicken & corn chowder on Sun. night. It was pretty good. I think next time I'll add some garlic & maybe some shredded cheddar cheese, but I definitely recommend it. Just keep in mind you may want to tweak it a little.

Chicken & Corn Chowder
Serves 4

Bacon, 4 slices, chopped
Red bell pepper, 1 large, seeded & chopped
Fresh or frozen corn kernels, 4 cups
Yukon gold potatoes, 3/4 lb cut into 1/2" chunks
Chicken broth, 3 cups
Dry white wine, 1/2 cup
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs, 3/4 lb total weight, cut into 1/2" chunks
Green (spring) onions, 6, white & Pale green parts, thinly sliced
Fresh thyme, 3 tablespoons minced
Half-and-half (half cream), 2 1/2 cups
Salt & freshly ground pepper

1. Cook the bacon: In a saucepan over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings.

2. Cook the vegetables & chicken: Add the bell pepper, corn, & potatoes to the same pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are just softened & the corn & potatoes are lightly tinged with gold, about 4-5 minutes. Add the broth & wine, bring to a boil, cover, & cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken & cook, covered, until opaque throughout, 5-7 minutes.

3. Finish the chowder: Stir in the green onions, thyme, & half-and-half. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, & cook, uncovered, until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Ladle the chowder into bowls, sprinkle with the bacon, & serve.

Side Notes: I used 1 chicken breast instead of 3/4 lb chicken thighs. Chicken thighs creep me out. Also, possibly because my husband is a carnivore, but we quickly ran out of bacon. I'd make more than 4 slices. We added a little shredded cheddar cheese & hot sauce to ours. I think the only thing I may add next time is garlic.

Bon appetit!