Southwestern Chicken Chowder W Roasted Corn And Poblano Peppers Recipes

ROASTED POBLANO CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut poblanos in half and remove seeds. Place cut side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Spray poblanos with non-stick cooking spray and roast for 8-10 minutes or until skins begin to blacken. Remove from oven and cool slightly.
• In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until tender.
• Dice roasted poblanos and add them to the pot along with chili powder and cumin and cook a few minutes longer.
• Add 4 cups of chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until potatoes are just tender. Stir in cooked chicken and corn.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the half and half, remaining 1/4 cup broth and 4 tablespoons of flour.
• Whisk the broth/flour/half and half mixture into the soup until smooth. Add sour cream and stir until well blended. Simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow soup to thicken.
• Stir in the crumbled bacon and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with optional toppings, if desired.

SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN CHOWDER W/ ROASTED CORN AND POBLANO PEPPERS

Steps:

• Spread whole kernel corn one-layer deep over cookie sheet. Roast at 400 for approximately 15 - 20 minutes, until kernels brown slightly. Remove from pan; reserve. (If you prefer not to roast corn, that would be fine.).
• Peel potatoes and chop, about 3/4". Place in pot, cover with water plus one inch. Do not add salt. Cook through; when fork passes through potatoes easily, they are done. Drain and reserve.
• Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, garlic, poblano peppers (see note #1 below), salt, white pepper, cumin, all chili powders or blends (see note #2 below), and thyme. Saute for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften.
• (**For a more creamy soup, when the veggies are tender, add a cup of chicken stock to mixture and transfer to blender. Puree and return to the pot. Alternatively, for half creamy/half chunky consistency, take half (or more, or less) the veggies, add the stock and puree, then return to pot.**).
• Stir in chicken bouillon (suggestion: do it by quarters and taste. Too much bouillon can add unneeded salt). Add (the rest of) the chicken broth, tomato sauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, cilantro and corn and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the carrots are tender. After this, add potatoes and the chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until the chowder is thick and the chicken and potatoes are heated through.
• Shortly before the chowder is done, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes to cook the flour. Do not allow the mixture to brown! Ladle 1 cup of the hot liquid from the stockpot into the skillet, whisking constantly.
• When the first cup of liquid is incorporated, add another 2 cups of liquid, 1 at a time. Pour the mixture in the skillet into the stockpot, whisking to blend. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 5 minutes longer, or until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove pot from the heat. Stir in cream, blending, heating. Serve.
• note #1:Green poblanos are always cooked or roasted. Use broiler or gas oven. After 80% of the skin has blistered, place poblanos in brown paper bag for ten minutes. Then under cold running water rub off tough outer skin, seed and peel, then chop/dice.
• note #2: Canned chipotles work as well, simply mince them and add to soup according to desired heat. Dehydrated chipotles work too; grind them then add according to desired heat.
• note #3: Go slowly with nutmeg and cinnamon, as these are unique flavors. Some like more, some like less.
• note #4: Salt and pepper amounts listed are somewhat conservative. Adjust to your personal taste.

CHICKEN POBLANO CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large soup pot, saute carrots, onion, celery, garlic, poblanos, salt, pepper, cumin and thyme until vegetables are crisp-tender.
• Add stock, cilantro and chicken and cook several minutes more.
• In a saucepan, melt butter and add flour.
• Cook flour, stirring, for 2-3 minutes, over low heat, but do not brown like a roux.
• Add a cup of the soup to the flour and whisk briskly, then add two more, one at a time, whisking briskly after each addition.
• Pour the mixture into the soup pot and stir, cooking and stirring the soup constantly until the soup thickens, about 3-5 minutes more.
• Blend in the cream and hot sauce, remove from heat, and serve.

POBLANO CORN CHOWDER WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, add the chicken breasts and 2 cups of water; bring to a boil and cook until chicken is tender; approximately 10 minutes.
• Shred the chicken reserving poaching liquid.
• Puree 2 cups of the corn kernels in a blender with the milk; set aside.
• In a soup pot, heat the olive oil; add the diced chilies, onion and garlic; sauté 4 to 5 minutes.
• Measure the poaching liquid and add enough water to make 2 cups, add to soup pot along with the chicken.
• Add remaining corn and seasonings bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in pureed corn, tomato and cheese; simmer to heat through and melt cheese, about 3 minutes.
• Ladle into servings bowls and garnish as desired.