Chicken & Corn Chowder With Sweet Potatoes (ATK)

• portions: 8-10

Ingrédients

3 cups whole milk

1 cup yellow corn muffin mix (see note)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 onion, chopped fine

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth*

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

3 cups frozen corn (not thawed)

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Mix milk and muffin mix in bowl until well combined. Meanwhile, heat butter in large Dutch oven 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.

2. 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. Serve. (Soup can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 3 days.)

*See page 31 for information on the test kitchen's top-rated brand of chicken broth.

Notes

Our $1,000 Grand-Prize Winner!

Mary Ann Lee Clifton Park, N.Y.

Our chicken soup contest brought in hundreds of recipes inspired by the great cuisines of the world. Our runners-up reflect the influences of New Orleans, Italy, Mexico, and Thailand. Our grand-prize winner, however, relied on a creative technique, rather than exotic ingredients. Chunks of sweet potato and frozen corn kernels begin the process of transforming a basic chicken soup into hearty chowder. But it's the corn muffin mix (yes, dry muffin mix!) that makes Mary Ann Lee's recipe unique. The corn muffin mix is dissolved in milk and then stirred into the soup for a thickened, creamy consistency and extra corn flavor. As Mary Ann told us: "The hearty chowder-like base combined with sweet potatoes, chicken, and corn really sticks to your ribs." We agree. This soup is definitely a meal in a bowl.

Although any yellow corn muffin mix will work in this recipe, Jiffy is the test kitchen's top-rated brand.

Cooks country 2007 February/ March