Mole Poblano with Chicken and Sesame Seeds

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on)
• 1 Onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 4 Dried ancho chiles
• 4 Dried guajillo chiles
• 2 lbs Tomatoes
• 1/2 Plantain
• 1/4 cup Raisins
• 1/4 cup Almonds
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• 2 oz Mexican chocolate
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1/4 tsp Cloves
• 4 cups Chicken broth
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 12 Corn tortillas

Instructions

1. 1Place the 3 lbs of chicken pieces into a large pot. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Carefully remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set aside on a plate to cool. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving 4 cups of the chicken broth for the mole sauce. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat from the bones and discard the bones and skin. Set the shredded chicken aside.
2. 2While the chicken is cooking, prepare the dried chiles. Remove the stems, seeds, and veins from the 4 dried ancho chiles and the 4 dried guajillo chiles. Place the prepared chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat (about 350°F or 175°C). Toast for 1-2 minutes per side, until fragrant and slightly puffed, being careful not to burn them. Immediately transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl and cover them with hot water. Let them soak for 30 minutes to soften.
3. 3Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the 2 lbs of tomatoes, 1 whole onion (peeled), and 4 cloves of garlic (unpeeled) on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened and slightly charred, and the onion and garlic are tender. Remove from the oven. Once cool enough to handle, peel the roasted garlic cloves. Roughly chop the roasted tomatoes and the roasted onion.
4. 4Drain the softened chiles. In a blender, combine the soaked chiles, the chopped roasted tomatoes, the chopped roasted onion, the peeled roasted garlic, the 1/2 plantain, the 1/4 cup raisins, the 1/4 cup almonds, the 1 cinnamon stick, the 1 tsp cumin, and the 1/4 tsp cloves. Add 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth to the blender. Blend on high speed until the mixture is very smooth, scraping down the sides of the blender as needed. If the mixture is too thick, add more of the reserved chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until you reach a thick but pourable sauce consistency.
5. 5Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat (about 350°F or 175°C). Carefully pour the blended mole sauce into the hot oil. Stir well to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The sauce will thicken and deepen in color.
6. 6After 1 hour of simmering, stir in the 2 oz of Mexican chocolate until it has completely melted into the sauce. Add the shredded chicken to the pot with the mole sauce. Stir to coat the chicken evenly. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chicken to heat through. The sauce should be thick and glossy.
7. 7While the mole is finishing, prepare the 12 corn tortillas. You can warm them by wrapping them in a clean, damp kitchen towel and microwaving for 30-60 seconds, or by heating them gently in a dry skillet over medium-low heat for a minute per side. Arrange the warm tortillas on a serving platter.
8. 8Serve the mole poblano with chicken hot, spooning it generously over the warm tortillas. Garnish with the 2 tbsp of sesame seeds before serving.

Substitutions

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