Wild Mushroom, Smoked Chicken and Corn Chowder

Wonderful smoky flavor from dried wild mushrooms and smoked chicken. Serve with Roasted Red Pepper Cornmeal Scones (Roasted Red Pepper Cornmeal Scones).

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 6  slices  of thick sliced bacon, diced
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  red bell pepper, chopped
• 1  green bell pepper, chopped
• 3  cups  of frozen white shoepeg corn, thawed, divided
• 1 1⁄2 cups  chopped  smoked chicken or 1 1⁄2 cups turkey
• 3  medium  red potatoes, peeled, and, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  sliced and diced  wild mushroom
• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 4  cups water
• 2  cups half-and-half, divided

Directions

1. In large pot or dutch oven, cook bacon over medium-high heat 4 to 6 min until browned. Place on paper towel-lined plate.
2. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the drippings from the pot. Cook onion, red pepper, and green pepper, for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Return the bacon to the pot.
3. Stir in 2 cups of the corn, chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, salt, cayenne pepper,and black pepper.
4. Add 4 cups of water or enough to cover.
5. Partially cover pot and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat to low; cook for 30 minute.
7. Meanwhile in blender or food processor, blend remaining 1 cup of corn and 1 cup of the half-and-half until almost smooth.
8. Just before serving, stir the pureed corn mixture and remaining half-and-half into the soup bring just to a simmer.
9. (DO NOT LET BOIL SOUP WILL CURDLE).