Colorado Chicken Tacos

De-seed and de-stem the dried chiles. Wipe off any dusty crevasses.

Add the chiles to a bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let reconstitute for 15-30 minutes. You can cover them with a small bowl or plate to keep them submerged.

Saute 1/2 an onion and 3 garlic cloves in a dollop of oil over medium heat. Cook until just starting to brown, approximately 5-8 minutes.

Drain the chilis and add to the onion mixture along with 3 cups of stock, 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground pepper.

Let cook for a couple minutes or until everything is at a uniform temp.

Add to a blender and combine well.

Take a taste. If it tastes bitter you know you'll want to sweeten it up a bit.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve, pushing it through with a spoon or spatula. Discard leftover solid remnants.

Add strained sauce back to the saucepan. Add 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce and a sliver of dark chocolate to balance the earthiness of the sauce.

Let cook over mediumish heat until the sauce clings to a spatula, approximately 15-30 minutes.

If you are making refried beans, start by sauteing 1/2 an onion and 2 garlic cloves in a dollop of oil for a few minutes.

Drain and rinse a can of pinto beans and add to the onion mixture along with 2 chipotles in adobo, 1/2 cup stock (or water), 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and some freshly ground pepper.

Bring this bean mixture to a uniform temp and then add to a blender and combine well.

Return bean mixture to saucepan and cook over medium-low heat until you have a thicker consistency, approximately 5-10 minutes.

Cut a single chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Add to a bowl and mix with a dollop of oil, salt, pepper and chili powder. (Exact seasoning isn't important for this chicken so I eyeball it and add a generous pinch of each.)

Saute 2-3 Tablespoons of chopped onion in a dollop of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and form a single layer. Once the first side is mostly cooked through flip and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes or until it's done. Set aside in a bowl until needed.

Heat a comal or skillet to medium-high temperature.

Each tortilla gets a thin layer of beans and plenty of cheese. I usually cook them three at a time on the comal.

Cook until the cheese is melted or until the underside of the tortilla is getting crunchy and forming brown spots.

Serve immediately and top with chicken, Colorado Sauce, and your choice of garnishes.