Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn and Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Mexican Street Corn and Chicken Chili

1 pound ground chicken
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons onion flakes
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 - 4oz can chopped green chilis
1 bell pepper, diced
1 quart (4 cups) bone broth
1 16oz bag frozen corn 
1 15oz can Great Northern beans (drained and rinsed) -OR- equal amount corn
2 cups blended cottage cheese -OR- sour cream
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 teaspoon salt (if using regular broth, reduce to ¼ teaspoon)
½ teaspoon pepper 
Toppings: chopped cilantro, diced red onion, sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips, and/or fresh lime

Cook the ground chicken in a saute pan over medium heat until no longer pink. Place in the slow cooker.

(Alternatively, you may use 3 cups of shredded chicken, or place 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker and shred them after cooking).

Add the garlic, onion flakes, ground cumin, dried oregano, chopped green chilis, bell pepper, broth, corn, and beans (if using) in your slow cooker.

Cook in HIGH for 3-4 hours, LOW for 7-8 hours.

If you used whole chicken breasts, remove them from the slow cooker and set aside to cool slightly and shred.

Turn the slow cooker to HIGH (if not there already)

Add the cottage cheese or sour cream and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Slowly ladle approximately ¼ cup portions of the hot soup broth (it is okay if little bits from the soup get in the mixture too) over the dairy. Whisk well. Repeat until the dairy is warm. (This is called tempering and ensures when you add the dairy to the hot soup it doesn’t curdle).

Add the warm dairy to the soup, stir well, and allow to cook on high for 15 minutes. The soup should thicken a bit.

Add the shredded chicken at any point, if using instead of ground chicken.

Serve with desired toppings.

Serves 6.