Chicken Corn Chowder

YUM!!! I may have eaten this for the last 3 meals in a row :-). Love it...even my lighter version is full of great flavors! I saw this on Holly's blog (it is actually called spicy chicken corn chowder, but it's not spicy at all)...thanks for sharing it!

Ingredients:
5 bacon slices, chopped (I used pre-cooked bacon)
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
2-4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/2" pieces (I used 1 can chicken)
1 large chopped red or orange bell pepper
3-4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used cornstarch)
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (I used red potatoes)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme (or 2 teaspoons dried)
1 (16 oz.) bag frozen corn kernels
2 cups half and half or cream (I used 1% milk)
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (plus more for garnish)
1-2 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 cup green onions (plus more for garnish)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

Directions:
Cook bacon in large pot over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain and cool; crumble and reserve for garnish. Pour off all but 1/4 cup drippings from pot. (since I used pre-cooked bacon I didn't have bacon drippings, but it was still great!)
Add butter to pot and melt over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, chicken breasts, and bell peppers; saute until onions are soft and chicken is golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Add flour; stir and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisk in broth, then add potatoes, cumin, and thyme; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered until potatoes are somewhat tender, about 8 minutes.
Add corn, half and half, cheese, green chilies, and Tabasco; simmer until corn is tender, about 8 more minutes.
Add green onions and chopped cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Garnish with crumbled bacon, additional shredded cheese, green onions, and cilantro.
(LDS Living)