Smoky Chipotle Chicken Chowder

Smoky Chipotle Chicken Chowder is my recipe for you to make a spicy but delicious chowder using your own roast chicken.

I do like roasting my own chickens, but if you are in a hurry and want to put this together fast, you can use a purchased rotisserie chicken. It’s your call.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 hours
Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2 pound) whole roasting chicken
1 head garlic, coarsely chopped
1 onion, quartered
1 lime, quartered
1 teaspoon cumin seed
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt (as needed)
Black pepper (as needed)

~~~FOR THE CHOWDER~~~
8 slices bacon
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 (62 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth (or 62 1/2 ounces stock)
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 to 6 tablespoons cold water
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk powder
3 canned chipotle chiles, chopped
1 to 2 tablespoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotles)
1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
3 corn tortillas or 1 cup broken tortilla chips
Oil (as needed, to fry corn tortillas, optional)

Step 1
Preheat oven to 475°F.
Step 2
Rinse chicken and pat dry, and stuff cavity with garlic, onion, lime, and cumin seed.
Step 3
Seal cavity with skewers or toothpicks.
Step 4
Fold wing tips under bird.
Step 5
Rub exterior of bird with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Step 6
Place on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan and roast, uncovered, at 475F for 15 minutes.
Step 7
Reduce oven temperature to 375F and continue to cook chicken, for 60-75 minutes or until temperature in the thickest part of thigh reads at least 160°F.
Step 8
Allow chicken to rest for 30 minutes without carving.
Step 9
Cook bacon in a skillet until cooked through and crisp; drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tbsp bacon drippings.
Step 10
Place bacon drippings into the bottom of a large dutch oven, and add onion and garlic.
Step 11
Cook until tender, then add chicken broth, potatoes, wine, bell pepper, ground cumin, salt, and pepper.
Step 12
Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through and tender.
Step 13
Meanwhile, remove meat from chicken, discarding fat, skin, and bone.
Step 14
Chop chicken coarsely and set aside.
Step 15
Mix together dry milk with cold water until smooth in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 16
Heat oil several inches deep in a large skillet.
Step 17
Using a pizza cutter or kitchen shears, cut tortillas into thin strips.
Step 18
Fry tortilla strips until crispy and golden, then drain on paper toweling and set aside (or may use broken tortilla chips).
Step 19
When potatoes in chowder are tender, add cooked chopped chicken, milk mixture, chopped chipotles with adobo (adjust amount for your own taste), and grated cheese.
Step 20
Cook, stirring over low heat just until cheese melts- do not boil or cheese will become grainy.
Step 21
Just before serving, stir in chopped cilantro, and top each bowl of chowder with tortilla strips.