Chicken Corn Chowder

I saw this recipe on a friend's cooking blog called This Mommy Cooks. When I say "friend," I guess I should clarify a bit. Amber and I have actually only met in person one time. However, before we met face to face, we got to know each other through this great world wide web as we had some mutual friends. Some of the friends are from our church because Amber and her husband used to live here in Knoxville, but she also knows some of my friends from college. I think she used to live in Memphis? (Correct me if I am wrong, Amber). Anyway, regardless of how we met, I just know that if Amber and I ever happen to live in the same city again, we would be fast friends! She seems like such a sweet person, she loves to cook, and she is a great momma to her two beautiful boys. Seriously, I still ideas from her blog all the time.

Amber posted this recipe for Chicken Corn Chowder a week or so ago, and as soon as I saw it I started drooling. Something about it...the name, the picture of her bowl of soup, the list of ingredients. I don't know. I just had to have it.

I finally got around to making it last night. It was so delicious, so warming, so comfy. Ugh. I loved it! Apparently, Amber adapted the recipe from one of Paula Deen's recipes, and I am so glad she did! (There was an absurd amount of butter in Paula's *gasp* ). This was wonderful without the additional butter, and I will definitely be making it again in the near future.

Chicken Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped (I only have baby carrots in my fridge, and I chopped up about 10 of them for my pot of soup.)
1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can corn, drained (Amber recommends 1.5 cans, but I thought one was sufficient.)
3 cups chicken broth (I used two cans)
1.5-2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 can evaporated milk
pinch of Nutmeg
salt and pepper

Directions:
Melt butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook until the roux is lightly browned. Remove roux from pan and set aside to cool.

While roux is cooling, combine the corn, chicken, and chicken broth in pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour roux into the corn and chicken mixture(a little at a time), whisking briskly so it doesn't lump. Return the pot to medium heat and bring to a boil. The mixture should become very thick. (You can continue on to adding the evaporated milk at this point and continue with the rest of the recipe, but I let my soup simmer for about 20 minutes more to let my flavors meld and my vegetables cook a little longer).

Stir evaporated milk into the thick corn mixture. Add the nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste. Return to boil and simmer for 5 more minutes.


MMMMMmmmmm. I am having the leftovers for dinner TONIGHT! The whole time I was eating my bowl(s) of soup last night, I kept thinking to myself, "This tastes familiar." I think I figured it out. This Chicken Corn Chowder tastes like a chicken pot pie in soup form to me. Serve it up with some scrumptious crescent rolls or homemade bread, and there you go! Comfort food, to the max!