Smoked Chicken and Vegetable Chowder

This rich and creamy chicken soup goes great in bread bowls, and folks will probably want seconds. :) You can substitute different sorts of vegetables, if you like, and use un-smoked chicken breast as well. I've left out the tomatoes on occasion.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 3  tablespoons butter
• 3  medium onions, chopped
• 2  stalks celery, chopped
• 1  cup  sliced mushrooms
• 1⁄2 cup  vegetable oil
• 1  large baking potato
• 3  cloves garlic, minced
• 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4  cups chicken broth
• 2  cups half-and-half
• 3  roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1⁄2 cup  small cauliflower, pieces
• 1⁄2 cup  small broccoli floret
• 1⁄4 cup  diced carrot
• 1⁄4 cup  diced red bell pepper
• 1⁄2 cup zucchini, rounds or diced
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded monterey jack cheese
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded smoked gouda cheese
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh basil
• 3  boneless skinless smoked chicken breasts, cubed
•  salt
•  white pepper, to taste
•  hot sauce, to taste

Directions

1. Melt together oil and butter in a 6-quart heavy kettle and cook the onions, celery, and mushrooms over moderate heat stirring, until onions are softened.
2. Scrub potato under running water, peel and cut into 1/4-inch dice; add potato and garlic to kettle and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in the flour and cook over moderately low heat for 2 minutes while continuing to stir.
4. Whisk in 3 cups of the broth and the half and half and bring to a boil, stirring.
5. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, bell pepper, zucchini, cheeses, basil, and chicken and simmer, stirring occasionally (and adding enough of remaining cup of broth to thin soup to desired consistency) for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
6. Season soup with salt and pepper and hot sauce, to taste.
7. Good served in bread bowls!
8. Makes about 8 cups.
9. You can use cooked un-smoked chicken breasts, too.