This is my all time favorite mole recipe - easy to prepare in small spaces and a big hit on camping trips. It's full of authentic flavors without all those hours at the stove.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30
minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/4
pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 5)
1/2
tsp. kosher salt, divided
1/4
tsp. freshly ground pepper
2
cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbls.
Ancho chili powder
1/2
teaspoon ground cumin
1 tsp.
ground cinnamon
¼ tsp.
ground cloves
¼ tsp.
ground allspice
1 ½
tsp. dried oregano
1
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup
semisweet chocolate chips
1 ½ Tbls. almond butter or natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (see Note)
Preparation:
1. Season chicken with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat ½
tablespoon oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes
total. You may need to cook the chicken in two batches, so that it is not
crowded in the pan. Transfer to a plate.
2. Reduce
heat to medium. Add the remaining ½ tablespoon oil, garlic, chili powder,
cumin, cinnamon, cloves, oregano and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to the
pan. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, broth,
chocolate chips and almond (or peanut) butter; stir to combine. Bring to a
simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, return the chicken (and any accumulated
juice) to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Simmer until the chicken is
cooked through, about 6 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.
We
served the chicken mole with plain steamed rice. You can also serve it with
warmed corn or flour tortillas.
Note: Toast regular sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over low
heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes
Encore
For an
encore you can shred the chicken and use it for taco or enchilada filling with
the mole sauce. It is also delicious warmed and served over grilled polenta or
even a bowl of soft polenta. Top it with finely diced sweet onions, cilantro
and sesame seeds for a simple meal. It's also delicious in scrambled eggs for a quick breakfast.