Chicken Vegetable Chowder

Chicken Vegetable Chowder

2 rotisserie-chicken carcasses

10 C. cold water or enough to barely cover bones

1 T. salt

1 whole onion, peeled, stuck with 5 cloves

1/2 C. celery leaves

1 bay leaf

6 bacon slices, chopped

2 carrots, scraped, sliced

2 onions, coarsely chopped

2 celery ribs, sliced

2 potatoes, peeled, diced

1 (14-1/2-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 (10-oz.) package frozen baby limas

1 (10-oz.) package frozen corn

2 C. cooked chicken, chopped bite-size

1/2 pint (1 C.) whipping cream

1/4 t. cayenne pepper or hot sauce to taste

Chopped fresh parsley

To make chicken stock, place carcasses on a large cutting board. Remove larger pieces of meat, if any are still clinging to bones. Chop 2 cups chicken and reserve in refrigerator.

Using cleaver or large knife, hack carcasses into 8 portions. Place bones in large soup pot with water, salt, onion/with cloves, celery leaves, bay leaf. Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer, covered, 2 hours. Strain; set aside. Cook bacon until crisp; remove; drain.

Bring stock to boil and add bacon, sliced carrots, chopped onions, celery, potatoes. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add tomatoes and juice, lima beans, corn and reserved chopped chicken. Cook until heated through. Stir in the cream, cayenne or hot sauce. Top with parsley.