Add chicken breasts to a saucepan large enough to hold the chicken without too much extra room. Add the chicken broth. If needed, add a little additional water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook breasts 10 – 12 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the broth. Once cool enough to handle, remove chicken from the broth (reserve the broth) and cut chicken into large bite-sized pieces. The chicken will break down more as it simmers in the chili. Set aside. Measure the broth and add a little water to return to 1 1/2 cups if necessary. If there is excess it can be saved to use if the chili happens to be too thick.

In the meantime, place oven rack three inches from broiler. Prepare sheet pan with enough aluminum foil to hold the jalapeno, garlic, and onion halves, with the edges of the foil turned up. Place the vegetables, with the onion cut side down on the foil. Broil until starting to char, turning the garlic as the top side browns and turning the jalapeno as needed so each side chars. The garlic will need to be removed first as it will be finished before the others. Chop onion and set aside. Remove the skin, seeds, and stem from the jalapeno. Remove the skin from the garlic. Chop jalapeno and garlic and set aside separately from the onion.

As the chicken breasts and vegetables cook, drain tomatoes, reserving liquid for another use. Place tomatoes in a blender and pulse to break up, or break up by hand, removing any hard bits from the stem area. Set aside until needed.

Add oil to a large, heavy Dutch oven (preferably enamel cast-iron) and place over medium heat. Add the onion, stirring now and then until golden brown. Push aside onion and add chili powder, stirring until it is fragrant and begins to darken, about a minute. Do not burn. Stir in chipotle and add tomatoes, stirring to loosen darkened bits on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the broth, chicken, jalapeno, garlic, and salt. Simmer for about 15  to 20 minutes until desired thickness is reached, stirring often.  Add beans and simmer another five to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. If by any chance the chili is too thick, add a little saved chicken broth, if any, or a little water.

Serve with desired toppings, and/or cornbread.