Season chicken breasts generously with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until lightly browned. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, shred or dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Add bacon slices to the same pot and cook over medium heat until crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked bacon, placing it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of bacon fat in the pot. Once cool, crumble the bacon.

Add chopped yellow onion and celery to the reserved bacon fat in the pot. Sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the vegetables. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, creating a roux.

Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and ensuring no lumps form. Add the diced potatoes, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Stir in the half-and-half (or heavy cream), drained canned corn, frozen corn, and the cooked shredded/diced chicken. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, keeping in mind the saltiness from the bacon and broth.

Continue to cook on medium-low heat for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chowder is heated through and slightly thickened. Do not bring to a rolling boil once the dairy has been added. Carefully remove the bay leaf before serving.

Ladle the hot chowder into bowls. Garnish each serving with crumbled bacon and fresh chopped parsley. Serve immediately and enjoy!