First, I prepped my ingredients. I cut 2 strips of bacon crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, diced an onion, cut 2 celery stalks into thin slices, and cubed 2 cups of red potatoes. Earlier in the day, I had poached and shredded two cups of chicken breast.

I cooked the bacon pieces in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp and brown, about 4 minutes. I used a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pieces to a plate lined with a paper towel.

Next, I put the skillet (with rendered bacon fat) back over medium heat and added the onion and celery. I cooked that until softened, about 6 minutes. I added 2 tablespoons of flour to the mixture and cooked it, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Then, I added 4 cups of milk to the pan and brought everything to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Once the milk mixture reached a boil, I added the chicken, potatoes, 10 ounces of frozen corn, and a pinch of cayenne pepper to the pot. I also seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. I returned the chowder to a boil and then reduced the heat to medium, allowing it to simmer for about 5 minutes until it was heated through. The reserved bacon topped everything off.

OK, so it's not pretty. It was really good, though! The chowder was thick and hearty, and I really enjoyed the flavor. I'm just not sure it *looks* appetizing enough for company.

TIPS: Stir the onions and celery (and flour, eventually) frequently during cooking to prevent the mixture from browning. This will help keep the chowder creamy white.

Also, don't cut your potato chunks too big. They don't need to be tiny, but large chunks may not cook fully during the 5 minute simmer time at the end of the recipe. I used red new potatoes, and I cut each one into about 8 pieces.

Recipe link: Chicken Corn Chowder