Cheddar Chicken Chowder

The winter of 2013-14...will it ever end?  To ward off cabin fever I have been trying new soup recipes and loved this one!  It combines two of my favorites...corn chowder and chicken soup. 
Excuse me? Two to four more inches of snow?  Have another bowl of chowder.

Ingredients

• 2 bacon slices 
• Cooking spray 
• 1 pound skinned, boned chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces 
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced 
• 4 1/2 cups fat-free chicken broth (I used vegetable broth for more veggie-goodness)
• 1 3/4 cups diced peeled red potatoes (white works well too!)
• 2 1/4 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 cups 2% low-fat milk 
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble; set aside. Add chicken, onion, bell pepper, and garlic to bacon fat in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add corn; stir well.
2. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended; add to soup. Cook over medium heat 15 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Top with crumbled bacon.