SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER

SOUTHWEST CHICKEN AND CORN CHOWDER
From: criminey.jicket

Dinner yesterday was Southwest Chicken and Corn Chowder in my effort to use up the package of 3 chicken breasts. This recipe also uses many of the same ingredients as the Madras Chicken Curry. It's not really a thick chowder; it's a thin, lightly creamy soup.

1 chicken breast, cut into cubes
3/4 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 carton chicken stock (carton is 1 liter)
1 cup water
1/8 to 1/4 cup half-and-half cream, as you prefer
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can niblet corn, drained but liquid reserved
1/2 cup uncooked long grain and wild rice
fresh cilantro
1/2 lime
canola oil

Add enough oil to cover bottom of hot skillet or pot (med. high temp). Toss in cubed chicken and salt. Stir a little. When the chicken starts to brown a little, add the drained corn, the bell pepper and the chili powder, oregano, cumin, and garlic--you may need to add a tiny splash of oil. Stir a couple minutes until the garlic and spices become fragrant, then add the chicken stock, the water, juice from the 1/2 lime, the reserved corn liquid and the uncooked rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 1/2 hour or until wild rice is cooked through. Remove from heat, add cream and chopped cilantro, stir to combine and serve. (FYI: I use the liquid from the corn to get the balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet. Add a pinch of sugar if you use frozen (and thawed) corn.)