Chicken Mole Poblano

By Flagthis -

IMG_5951

This is one dish, when I make I can be assured, doing the dishes will be easy. Roy, literally wipes (licks?) clean all the pots, pans, bowls, plates, spoons, everything that has had even a remote acquaintance with the dish. It is not a pleasant sight. But I think for a guy, who sacrifices so much, including his mind, to keep me happy, the least I can do is suppress my disgust and smile as he slurps through the entire dish in a matter of minutes.

I use  skinless chicken breasts and simmer them for a long time in mole, made with a combination of dried chili peppers (chipotle and ancho), chocolate, cinnamon, cloves, nuts, tomatoes, onions and garlic. You can vary the combination of peppers and the quantity, to your taste. We are a family that likes food really spicy. So, I don’t deseed any of my peppers. But, I wouldn’t recommend that you do the same unless you have paralyzed taste buds like ours.

Ingredients
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1small onion, chopped fine
1 tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp ground cumin 
1/4 tsp cinnamon clove spice mix
2 chipotle peppers
2 ancho peppers
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp shavings of bittersweet chocolate preferably Mexican)
1 lb chicken breasts
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp oregano (preferably Mexican)
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

  • Marinate chicken seasoned with salt and pepper with lemon juice for about 30 minutes.
  • Tear the ancho and chipotle peppers and soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes till they are soft
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy bottomed skillet.
  • Add onions, garlic and sauté until the onions turn translucent.
  • Add tomatoes and sauté until they form a mush.
  • Transfer to a blender, add the soaked peppers, cumin, peanut butter, spice mix, oregano and chocolate and blend to a smooth paste.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of oil in the same skillet and brown the chicken on all sides.
  • Pour in the mole sauce and chicken broth and let it simmer for 45- 50 minutes until the chicken is cooked tender and the sauce is thickened.
  • Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot.

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