Chicken Mole Poblano

Method

1. 01

   Put 800 g chicken in a pot with 700 ml hot broth, half the onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add a splash of water only if needed to nearly cover the chicken. Simmer gently until the chicken is tender and cooked through, then keep the chicken warm and strain the broth.

   ⏱ 30 min
2. 02

   While the chicken cooks, open the 6 dried chiles and remove stems and seeds. Toast them in a dry skillet for a few seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darker, taking care not to burn them. Cover with hot strained broth and soak until flexible.

   ⏱ 15 min
3. 03

   In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Toast 35 g almonds, 25 g peanuts, 20 g pumpkin seeds, and 2 tablespoons sesame seeds until golden, then transfer to a blender. Toast 1 tortilla and 30 g breadcrumbs until dry and browned. Char 3 tomatoes, the remaining onion, and the remaining 2 garlic cloves until softened and spotty.

   ⏱ 12 min
4. 04

   Blend the soaked chiles with their soaking broth, the toasted nuts and seeds, tortilla, breadcrumbs, charred vegetables, 30 g raisins, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and enough extra broth to make a smooth sauce. Blend in batches if needed; strain only if the sauce feels gritty.

   
5. 05

   Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Pour in the mole carefully, because it may splatter, and cook while stirring until it darkens and thickens. Add 25 g chocolate and optional 1 teaspoon sugar, then simmer with more broth as needed until the sauce coats a spoon but still flows.

   ⏱ 25 min
6. 06

   Taste the mole and adjust salt. Add the cooked chicken pieces and simmer gently, spooning sauce over them, until the chicken is hot and the sauce tastes integrated.

   ⏱ 10 min
7. 07

   Serve the chicken with plenty of mole, the remaining sesame seeds, warm rice, and tortillas for scooping up the sauce.