Creamy Chicken Vegetable Chowder

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – chopped
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound processed cheese food, shredded
• 1 (16 ounce) package frozen green beans
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in onion, garlic, and red bell pepper; cook until tender. Mix in potatoes, carrots, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir chicken into the pot. Season soup with ranch dressing mix, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper. Stir in processed cheese until melted. Mix in green beans just before making the roux.

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and stir in flour to form a thick, golden brown roux. Mix into the soup to thicken. Continue cooking 5 minutes.