6 strips bacon, chopped

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon diced jalapeño (seeds removed)

1½ tablespoons minced garlic

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

¾ teaspoon black pepper

¾ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon dry ground mustard

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup water (or additional broth)

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 pound gold potatoes, diced

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs

2½ cups sweet corn (fresh, frozen, or canned and drained)

Optional Toppings: green onions, shredded cheddar, extra jalapeño, crushed corn chips, crackers.

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Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crisp. Remove and set aside, leaving about 2 tablespoons of grease in the pot.
Add butter and melt. Stir in onion, red pepper, and jalapeño. Cook until softened.
Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir until absorbed. Cook briefly.
Add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and ground mustard. Slowly whisk in chicken broth.
Stir in water, milk, cream, potatoes, chicken, and corn. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken, shred, and set aside.
Blend half the soup using an immersion blender.
Return chicken to pot. Stir in bacon or reserve for topping. Adjust seasoning and serve warm.

Bacon Substitute:
If omitting bacon, use 5 tablespoons butter total and skip the bacon grease step.
Potatoes:
Russet potatoes may be used but should be peeled first.
Pre-Cooked Chicken:
You may use cooked shredded chicken. Add it after blending and heat through before serving.
Blending Alternative:
If you don’t have an immersion blender, blend half the soup in batches using a countertop blender or mash partially with a potato masher.
Storage:
Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freezing is not recommended due to dairy content.