Seriously, not the best name, I realize... but boy, was it good!
I had thawed some chicken breasts for dinner a few days before, and there was just about 1 1/3 left that needed to be used.
Yes, you read that correctly. When we have chicken breast for dinner, I take 1 of the 2 breasts and cut it into 2 sections. The rounded end is about 2/3 of the breast, and the remaining, pointed, end is about 1/3. Then I take the rounded end and split it in half. That's two generous servings of chicken for two people at one meal. (The pointed end is generally reserved for another meal.)
I knew that I also had cilantro and canned black beans and some powdered chiles. You see where I’m going?
I sautéed a minced onion and some minced garlic in EVOO... just until soft, no color. In went three 15 oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained. Then I sprinkled this mixture with about 3t each of pasilla negro and aji amarillo chile powders and a little bit of dried oregano, salt, and pepper. I let this just simmer away for about 5 minutes. Then I added about 1C chicken stock, and a few pinches of ground roasted cumin seeds.
While it simmered, I diced an avocado... warmed some rice... warmed some bowls... and chopped a big handful of cilantro.
I cut the chicken breasts into large chunks, put them into the simmering bean mixture, and let the chicken poach GENTLY until just done. Added the cilantro. Put hot rice in hot bowls. Ladled the chicken mixture in. Topped with the diced avocado.
And Wow.
This was clean, clean chili... Not muddled or tomato-y, not drowned in cheese or sour cream (both of which I adore). It was revelatory: A Chili for Company! (Even if it was just the two of us.)
And, start to service... 25-30 minutes... After work! This really was a new kind of chili dish and we loved it!