It is Fall, or Autumn, whichever you like to call this time of year, and Autumn calls for soups and chowders to warm the body when it's starting to get a bit chilly outside! Enjoy this healthy, yummy recipe to warm your soul.
3 cups whole milk
1 cup yellow corn muffin mix (jiffy brand is what I used)
2 Tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth (for a thicker chowder, add less broth)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed or shredded
2-4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese or cheddar cheese
3 cups frozen or canned corn
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste (a must)
(I also like to add 1-2 pinches of red pepper flakes for a bit of heat)
Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, cumin, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth, chicken and sweet potatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until sweet potatoes are just tender, about 8 minutes.
Stir in milk and muffin mixture and simmer until soup thickens, about 10 minutes. Add cheese and corn and cook until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper (and optional red pepper flakes).
Note: I don't usually have fresh parsley so I added 1 or 2 tablespoons of dried parsley. I also usually just bake the yams in the oven at 400 for about an hour, peel them after they are done baking, and then slice them into the soup. I was really surprized by this recipe, it has a lot of flavor and a lot less fat than other chowder recipes, but is still very creamy and rich without having to use heavy cream. YUM!
