½ lbs. good quality bacon chopped

24 large button mushrooms quartered

1 large onion

3 c. niblet corn

2 large chicken breasts (split)

2L 1-or-2% milk

1 c. heavy cream

⅔ c. Butter (unsalted)

½ tsp salt

¾ c. flour

¼ c. water

3 c. diced red potato

Pinch of cayenne

Salt and pepper to taste

1)   In a heavy bottomed soup pot sauté onions and bacon in all but 2 Tbsp of the butter over low-med heat, trying not to brown the onion, and cook until the bacon is fully cooked.  

In a separate frying pan which can be covered, melt the remaining butter over high heat and add mushrooms and ½ tsp of salt, toss well, then add the ¼ cup of water, cover, and reduce heat to simmer.

     
Put chicken breasts on a lined baking sheet in an oven preheated to 375◦ for 15 minutes.

 

2)      Once the onion and bacon have been sautéed to their desired state, add flour stirring well until you can smell the flour beginning to cook.

3)      Slowly add milk 1-½ cups at a time, stirring well until mixture is smooth before adding the next 1-½ cups. Once all milk is added, add potatoes and corn.

4)      Chicken should now be cooked (perhaps slightly under cooked). Dice this up and add it to the chowder.

5)      Remove cover from mushrooms - they should be swimming in liquid. Turn up heat and reduce the liquid with mushrooms by half. Add this to the chowder.

6)      Let chowder cook at a low simmer stirring frequently for up to an hour until the potatoes are cooked completely.

7)      Stir in the heavy cream to finish and season with a pinch of cayenne, salt and pepper to your taste.

8)      Serve as is or with a sprinkle of finely chopped chives or green onions.

Enjoy!
Chef Matt