INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ¼ cup butter
• 6 Tbsp flour
• 2 cups half & half (if you dont have this you can replace one cup of half and half with 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 cup of milk).
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 8 oz diced ham
• ½ cup real bacon bits
• 8 oz swiss, shredded
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic salt, or garlic powder and salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat the olive oil in a stock pot. Add the cubed chicken and cook until chicken is no longer pink; about 6 minutes. Remove meat from pan and set aside.
2. Add butter to the pot and allow it to melt. Whisk in flour and cook until the fragrance is nutty about 1 minute.
3. Add the half and half, milk, and broth, whisking briskly as you pour. Whisk until all the flour mixture is smooth.
4. Return the chicken to the pot and add the ham as well. Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes; the sauce will thicken up.
5. Remove the pot from the heat and add the bacon bits and shredded swiss. Stir until cheese melts. Taste the soup and add the seasonings to taste. (The ham, bacon, and swiss all have high sodium contents, so you may want to opt for garlic powder instead of garlic salt, or just some black pepper.)