Even thought it is technically April, Mother Nature just refuses to let it be Spring. I am watching tiny snowflakes dance around my yard as I write this and this kind of weather makes me want soup!
So naturally, I go through my cupboards and fridge to see what I have to make soup. Do you ever do this? Just make up recipes based on what you have on hand? I do all the time, actually that probably makes up over 80% of my recipes. They don’t always turn out amazing, but it usually gives me a base to work with and improve on every time.
This recipe hit the bulls eye on the first try! It is perfect comfort food for cold days, but has a taste of freshness to hint to warmer days coming and fresh veggies right out of the garden. It is also cheap….and that is right up my alley. You don’t need to spend a fortune to eat good and tasty food!
Grilled Chicken and Corn Chowder
- 5 cobs of corn (blackened on the BBQ. I keep a small grill on my front porch for small grilling jobs like this one. This Coleman Roadtrip Grill is portable and cheap!)
- Another option here is to use corn out of a can and blacken it on the stove top. It looses a little bit of that smokey taste, but definitely works in a pinch.
- 4 Sweet red peppers (fresh or canned), also grilled on the BBQ or stove top.
- 3 chicken breasts (also grilled on the BBQ)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil (to cover corn and peppers before grilling)
- 2 onions (diced)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves chopped garlic
- 5 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 2 cups milk (you can use cream, but I don’t like to add the extra calories. There enough flavor and thickness with this recipe)
- Chili flakes to flavor
- 2 tbsp cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
After gathering the ingredients and grilling the corn, peppers and chicken, it is all easy peasy from there! Melt the butter in a pot and sautee the onions and garlic until fragrant and translucent. Add the broth and potatoes and simmer until they are tender. Puree 1/4 of the potatoes and liquid (or more if you like thicker soup). Return puree to pot and add corn, peppers and chicken. Let the flavors mesh together by simmering for 20-30 minutes (your house will smell amazing by the way)! Add milk, cumin, chili peppers and salt and pepper. Simmer another 15 minutes to heat and you are done!
Serve with a nice crisp salad and buns and you have the perfect dinner for a cozy night in watching movies!