Chipotle Chicken and Black Bean Stew

Serves 4to 6

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil

1to 1¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs (or about 1pound shredded, cooked chicken — see note above)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 large sweet red pepper

1large poblano pepper, stemmed and seeded, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 chipotles from a can, minced, with juices

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/8 teaspoon cloves

4cups chicken or vegetable stock 1(28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice

2cups cubed butternut squash 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnish Tortilla chips broken in pieces, for garnish 1 large avocado, diced, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Heat 1tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper. Add the chicken to the pot without overcrowding, in batches if necessary. Saute the chicken until colored on all sides, then transfer to a bowl. (The chicken will not be thoroughly cooked at this point; it will finish cooking in the stew. If you are using rotisserie chicken, skip this step.)

If the pan is dry, add 1tablespoon oil. Add the onion and saute until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the peppers and saute until bright in color and crisp tender, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomato paste, chipotles, cumin, coriander, paprika and cloves; stir to make a slurry and toast the spices, about 1 minute more.

Add the chicken stock, tomatoes and squash. Return the partially cooked chicken and any collected juices to the pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook the stew, partially covered, until the squash is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in the black beans, brown sugar and lime juice and continue to simmer for 10 to 15minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed. Stir in the cilantro.

Ladle the stew into bowls. Serve with additional cilantro, the tortilla chips and diced avocado for garnishing.