Chill-Chaser Chicken Dinner

Combine chipotle in adobo, honey, peppercorns, orange juice, garlic and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse until mixed, then run continuously until only small bits remain, about a minute. The sauce will be very thin. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer sauce to a medium bowl.

Steep tea bag in boiling water for 5 minutes. Pierce chicken all over with a sharp fork, such as a carving fork, then immerse chicken in the chipotle sauce. Pour hot tea over the chicken, discarding the tea bag. With your hands, massage the chicken into the sauce until it is fully coated and penetrates the pierced meat. Set aside and allow to marinate for 15 minutes.

While the meat marinates, heat mashed potatoes and stir in provolone cheese until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside, cover, and keep warm over low heat.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet until it is very hot and beginning to smoke. Sear chicken on both sides, about 1 minute on each side. Reduce heat to medium and pour chipotle sauce over the chicken. Cover and simmer over medium for 20 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. When basting, be sure to scoop up as many herbs as possible. After 15 minutes or so, the pan will begin to dry out. Add 1/4 cup water and with a wooden spoon or kitchen tongs, scrape up the dark bits from the bottom of the skillet and stir them into the sauce. The water should darken to a beautiful terra cotta color as the liquid picks up all the flavors on the bottom. Continue to baste the chicken, adding more water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. Replace the cover and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.

Spoon equal amounts of the mashed potatoes onto plates, swirling them into discs in preparation for the chicken. (Make sure to leave ridges in the potatoes with the spoon to catch the gravy!) Place a chicken breast on top of the potatoes on each plate. Spoon the juices from the pan over the chicken and potatoes, then garnish with the chopped cilantro. For an extra flavor boost, sprinkle with more shredded provolone.