Recently, I’ve had some requests for crock pot meals and it has reminded me just how handy this method of cooking really is. Though there is some prep required, the crock pot cuts back on the active time in the kitchen. The main beauty of using a slow-cooker—in my opinion at least—is walking in the door after a long day and having dinner ready, waiting on you. It’s almost magical in a way, opening the door and having the smells of a home-cooked meal greet you. When you’re feeling energized in the morning, you start the meal; that way, you can come home and relax—dinner is already made!
Today I bring you the flavors of Mexico, though not the flavors we normally associate with Mexican cuisine. Mexican cuisine is characterized by tomatoes, onions, chiles, garlic, cumin, corn, and cilantro. The sauces or salsas are typically raw or light, fresh, and spicy. Mole sauce, however, is a rich, decadent sauce utilizing the flavors of Mexico with an odd assortment of additions, including bittersweet chocolate, cinnamon, and almonds. The result is a surprisingly satisfying, flavorful sauce that is truly in a class of its own. It has become a signature dish in Mexican cuisine, especially during festivities and celebrations.
Some mole recipes have upwards of thirty ingredients, with a variety of different chiles. Feel free to play around with the ingredients you have on hand. I substituted walnuts for almonds and dried New Mexico chiles for ancho chiles because I already had those ingredients and it turned out delicious.
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Crock Pot Mole Chicken
Print recipe
| Serves | 6 |
| Region | Mexican |
| From magazine | Everyday Food December 2011 |
Ingredients
- 4 Pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chicken breasts can be substituted)
- 1 Can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes
- 1 yellow onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 dried ancho chiles or 4 dried New Mexico Chiles (stemmed)
- 2 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- 1/2 cup almonds (or walnuts)
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 3 Ounces bitterweet chocolate (finely chopped, 1/2 cup)
- 3 Cloves garlic (smashed and peeled)
- 3/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- cilantro for garnish (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| In a blender, purée tomatoes, onion, chiles, almonds, raisins, chocolate, garlic, oil, cumin, and cinnamon (this might require multiple batches in the blender, depending on the size of the blender). Add tomato mixture and cook on high until chicken is tender, 4 hours (or 8 hours on low). Serve chicken and sauce with rice and top with cilantro. | |
