SLOW COOKER CHICKEN BACON CHOWDER

Low carb soup is my favorite food. Pretty much year round, you can open my fridge or freezer and see at least one or two low carb soups lining the shelves. While I convert a lot of my slow cooker recipes to stovetop recipes because I am impatient and just want to eat my soup NOW, I still really love all the deliciously complex flavors that slow cooking can create. I am a big fan of low carb slow cooker recipes.

I use my crockpot year round. It is great in the winter when you just want to curl up on the couch and don’t feel like cooking and it is equally as great in the summer for transporting food to cookouts, low carb barbecues or any type of fun get together. BUT, it can be a lifesaver during the really hot months when you don’t want to heat up the stove and make you house even hotter.

This low carb Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Chowder is deliciously rich and flavorful.  If you are looking to impress your friends with your cooking skills, this would be the dish to make them. Although it keeps well in the fridge, good luck having any leftovers.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN BACON CHOWDER RECIPE
This low carb Slow Cooker Chicken Bacon Chowder is deliciously rich and flavorful.  If you are looking to impress your friends with your cooking skills, this would be the dish to make them. Although it keeps well in the fridge, good luck having any leftovers.



INGREDIENTS

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 small leek, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 6 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 4 tbsp butter, divided
• 2 cups chicken stock, divided
• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 lb bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried thyme

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat slow cooker on low setting. To slow cooker, add garlic, shallot, leek, celery, mushrooms, onions, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup chicken stock, sea salt and black pepper. Cover, and cook vegetables on low for 1 hour. Complete this next step while the vegetables are cooking – In a large skillet over medium-high heat, pan-sear the chicken breasts in the remaining 2 tbsp butter until they are browned on both sides. – About 5 minutes each side. (Chicken will not be fully cooked during this stage.)
2. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. De-glaze the pan with the remaining 1 cup of chicken stock. Using a rubber spatula, scrape up any bits of chicken that may be stuck to the pan. Add chicken stock to slow cooker.
3. Add heavy cream, cream cheese, garlic powder, and thyme to the slow cooker. Stir until well combined and there are no longer any visible chunks of cream cheese.
4. Once the chicken has cooled, cut it into cubes and add it to the slow cooker, along with bacon. Stir until all ingredients are well combined. Cover and let cook for 6-8 hours.

Recipe adapted : SLOW COOKER CHICKEN BACON CHOWDER @ peaceloveandlowcarb