Slow Cooker Farmhouse Chicken and Corn Chowder

Yields 6 servings

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
2 Slices bacon, uncooked minced
4 tsp oil, vegetable 
2 Large onion, white minced
6 Cloves garlic, fresh minced
1 Tbls tomato paste 
2 tsp thyme, fresh minced
1/4 Cup flour, all-purpose 
5 Cups stock, chicken, low-sodium 
1 Pound potatoes, small red scrubbed, cut in 1/2-in chunks
1 Large carrot peeled, sliced 1/4-in thick
2 Each bay leaves 
1 1/2 Pound chicken thighs, boneless, skinless trimmed
1 to taste salt and pepper 
1 Large bell pepper, red seeded, cut in 1/2-in pieces
14 3/4 Ounce(wt)s corn, creamed, canned 
1/2 Cup cream, heavy 
2 tsp pepper, chipotle, canned minced
3 Tbls basil, fresh minced 


Tools Needed:
Crock-Pot SCVT650-PS 6-1/2-Quart Programmable Touchscreen Slow Cooker, Stainless Steel

Cuisinart DLC-2009CHB Prep 9 9-Cup Food Processor, Brushed Stainless

Kuhn Rikon Epicurean Garlic Press

Cuisinart 622-30G Chef's Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover

Directions: 
Cook bacon in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove bacon from pan.  Stir in 1 tablespoon oil and onions and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in 2 cups stock, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker. 

Stir remaining 3 cups stock, potatoes, carrot, bacon, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Season chicken with salt and pepper and nestle into slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low. 

Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces. Let soup settle for 5 minutes, then remove fat from surface using large spoon; discard bay leaves. 

Microwave bell pepper with remaining teaspoon oil in bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. 

In separate bowl, microwave cream corn until hot, about 3 minutes. 

Stir softened peppers, hot creamed corn, shredded chicken, heavy cream, and chipotles into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.