Slow-cooker chicken and bean fideo

Similar to vermicelli, fideo are short, delicate noodles that are often used in Spanish and Mexican cooking, as in the Mexican classic, sopa de fideo. This nontraditional slow-cooker dish puts fideo to good use in a medium-spicy, smoky chicken and bean braise. You can dial the heat up and down by including more or fewer chipotles in the mix. It’s a comforting stew of tender chicken, pinto beans (you can sub in black beans) and toasted noodles. The toasting step adds a deeper flavor to the finished dish, but you can skip it if you’re pressed for time and simply break the noodles up directly into the slow cooker. Serve with plenty of cilantro and avocado.