CHORIZO, CHICKEN, BUTTERNUT, AND BLACK BEAN CHOWDER

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Chicken|Ciao Bella|Pork|Soups and Chowders

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 raw links raw chorizo sausage (about ¾-pound)

1-pound raw chicken breast, bone-in and skin on

1 large onion, chopped

1 large leek, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)

8 garlic cloves, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, minced

1 tablespoon Dish off the Block Ciao Bella Italian Spice Blend

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1” dice

4 cups chicken stock, divided

3 cups heavy cream, divided

1 ½ pounds potatoes, cut into 1-2” dice (I use multi-color baby potatoes)

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1, 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 ½ cups frozen corn, thawed

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the sausages and chicken to the pot and sear on all sides. When the sausages are firm and seared all over, remove them and chop into ½” thick rings. Return the sausage rings to the pan.

Add the onions, leeks, garlic, and jalapeno to the pot and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are soft and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper, and butternut squash to the pan and cook for 2 minutes more. Add 2 cups of the chicken stock and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add 2 cups of the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low boil and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butternut squash is tender and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken breast from the pot and let cool until it is cool enough to handle. Take the meat off the bones and shred into bite size pieces. Place the shredded meat back in the chowder.

While the soup cooks, place the potatoes in a medium saucepan with the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 10-15 minutes. When the potatoes are tender add them, and the stock they cooked in, to the soup along with the chopped red bell pepper.

After the soup has cooked for 30-40 minutes and all of the veggies are tender, whisk the cornstarch into the remaining cup of heavy cream and add it to the pot. This will help to pull the soup together and thicken the broth.

Add the beans and corn to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally for another 5-8 minutes until the chowder is thickened. Serve hot in bowls, garnished with parsley.