Chicken Corn Chowder

1/2 lb bacon
1 large chicken breast, boneless, skinless, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 onon, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb fingerling potatoes, cut into small pieces
4 c low sodium chicken broth
1 c frozen whole kernel corn
1-14 oz can cream style corn (this grosses me out when I have to use it)
1/4 c corn starch
1 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
red pepper flakes to taste
1 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until brown and crisp, drain on paper towels and crumble when cooled.  Reserve 2 tbsp bacon drippings and saute chicken, onion, garlic, and bell pepper in the drippings.  Cook until chicken is no longer pink and onion begins to soften.  Add chicken broth, frozen corn, pototoes and can of cream style corn.  Combine corn starch and milk and slowly stir into soup.  Heat to boiling and boil for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add bacon, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes if desired, and shredded cheese (reserving some to top each bowl). 

***I had originally wanted to serve this with corn bread and for those of you who've know me a long time (aka prior to 1997) may remember that the last time I attempted corn bread was when I made corn muffins in 9th grade and that did not go so well.  It did not go well this time either--although Eric disagrees-see "Corn Bread=Fail" and let me know if you have a good corn bread recipe.