Chicken & Corn Summer Chowder

This is my first recipe post and I've been sitting on this soup for awhile now, I didn't know if I'd be breaking rules by posting soup in the breakfast month. However, Big D has now had this soup and has demanded that I post it to Recipeeps.

I keep reading Tweets, Facebook statuses and Blogs about spring arriving in the Midwest, so I thought perhaps you'd all like to try this chowder that we make year round here! It's not nearly as heavy as the chowder's I'm used to having back home. I'm a soup lover and this one is now in my top ten!

2 slices bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons flour
1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken broth
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from a 2 ½ - 3 lb. roasted chicken)
3 cups sweet corn (approx kernels cut from 3 ears of corn)
¼ - ½ cup heavy whipping cream

Topping:
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and chopped
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 limes, cut into wedges
Freshly ground black pepper


In a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, cook bacon until fat renders and meat starts to brown. Add onion, reduce heat to medium, and cook until soft (about 3 minutes). Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, until flour smells cooked (you should get a whiff of baked piecrust) but hasn’t started to brown (about 3 minutes).

Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to keep mixture simmering and cook until potatoes are barely tender (about 5 minutes). Add chicken and corn and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir in cream to taste. Heat through (about 2 minutes).

Serve in soup bowls, garnished with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and pepper to taste