Chicken Chowder with Chipotle

 Chicken Chowder with Chipotle

from Ellen's kitchen, with thanks to Cooking Light and Kathy

Ingredients:

• 1 (7 oz) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 2 medium red potatoes (about 12 oz) cut into 1/2" pieces
• 15.5 oz can hominy, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup chopped seeded plum tomato
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 lime wedges

Instructions:

• Remove 1 chile and 1 tsp adobo sauce from can; reserve remaining chiles and sauce for another use (freezing in ice cube tray works well).  Finely chop chile; set chile and sauce aside separately.
• Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add chopped chile, onion, and ingredients down through garlic; cook 7 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently.  Stir in broth; bring to a boil.  Add chicken; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.  
• Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, and cool slightly.  Shred chicken with 2 forks; cover and keep warm.
• Remove Dutch oven from heat and let stand 5 minutes.  Blend until smooth.  
• Stir in potatoes and hominy; bring to simmer over medium heat and cook, uncovered, 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.  Stir in chicken and cream; simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, and stir in reserved adobo sauce, tomato, cilantrol, and salt.  Serve with lime wedges.