Chicken Corn Chowder

Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
6 strips of bacon
1 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
4 medium potatoes (2 cups), peeled and diced (sometimes I sub with 2 sweet potatoes)
10.5 oz. low sodium cream of chicken soup
14.5 oz. can creamed corn
1/2 of 16 oz. bag of frozen corn (or 1 can of corn, drained)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Bay leaf
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups of chicken broth (or water but it won't be as flavorful)
1/2-1 c. half and half or 12 oz. can of evaporated milk (see note)
2-4 Tbsp. cornstarch (start with a little and add more if needed)

Directions:
Sauté bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels but keep 2 Tbsp. of the grease in the skillet. Cool bacon off, crumble and put in a covered container to use later. In the same skillet add onions, celery, carrots, and cook until soft. Can cook the potatoes for a few minutes as well. In crockpot add potatoes, cooked veggies, cut up chicken breasts, cream of chicken soup, corn (s), seasonings, butter, and broth.  Cook on low 6 hours or until potatoes are done. Stir cornstarch and milk together in a bowl. Stir this mixture in the last 30 minutes of cooking to help thicken the soup. Remove Bay leaf. Sprinkle cooked bacon on top of chowder when serving.

Serve with a side salad and buttered crusty bread.

Serves 4-6

Note: You can sub any milk you prefer like almond or coconut milk.