Chipotle Chicken Chili Mac

Courtesy of Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats. Note: The recipe calls for omitting the black beans but I think they would be great if kept in.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2  lbs ground chicken
• 2  tablespoons  McCormick grill seasoning
• 1⁄2 lb baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
• 1⁄4 lb  shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 3  celery ribs, chopped
• 1  red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
• 4 -6  garlic cloves, chopped
• 2  tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2  chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped with their juices
• 1  tablespoon cumin
• 12  ounces beer
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1  cup  chicken stock
• 2  tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 8  ounces smoked gouda cheese, shredded
• 8  ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1  lb cavatappi pasta or 1  lb macaroni
• 1  small onion, finely chopped (optional)
•  cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Heat a deep, large skillet or pot over high heat.
2. Add 2 T extra-virgin olive oil and the meat.
3. Season the meat with the grill seasoning and sear it, browning and crumbling it, for 3-5 minutes.
4. Transfer the meat to a plate and return the pot to the stove.
5. Reduce the heat to medium high and add the remaining tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.
6. Add the mushrooms and begin to brown them before adding the other veggies.
7. After 2-3 minutes the mushrooms will begin to shrink and soften.
8. Push the mushrooms off to one side of the pot and add all the remaining veggies to the opposite side of the pot.
9. Once the onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic have been working for a few minutes, mix the veggies with the mushrooms.
10. Return the meat to the pan and season with Worcestershire sauce, chipotle and cumin.
11. Add the beer to deglaze the pot, scraping up all the pan drippings. Reduce the beer by half, 2 minutes.
12. Add the black beans, tomatoes, stock and thyme to the chili and simmer for at least 10 minutes to let the flavors combine.
13. While the chili simmers, cook the pasta al dente and drain.
14. Add the cooked pasta to the chili and stir to combine.
15. Pour the chili-mac into a 9 x 13 casserole dish and top with a mixture of smoked Gouda and Cheddar.
16. Melt the cheeses under a hot broiler 6 inches from the heat until golden.
17. Garnish the dish with finely chopped raw onions and chopped cilantro. (This step is optional.).