Mole Poblano

Ingredients

• 4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 3 cups chicken stock, divided
• 1/3 cup lard, divided
• 1 white onion, chopped, divided
• 4 cloves garlic, divided
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tomatillo, husked and chopped
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup almonds, blanched
• 1/4 cup raw peanuts, shelled
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
• 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• 1 slice stale white bread, torn into pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 3 ounces Mexican chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1 white onion, quartered, for poaching
• 2 cloves garlic, for poaching
• 1 teaspoon salt, for poaching

Method

1. 1

   Place the chicken, quartered onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon salt in a stock pot and cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

   40:00 · Poach chicken
2. 2

   Remove the chicken and set aside, reserving the poaching liquid. Once cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin if desired; keep the chicken warm.

3. 3

   Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the ancho, mulato, and pasilla chiles for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant and pliable, taking care not to scorch them.

4. 4

   Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with 2 cups of the hot chicken stock, and let soak until softened.

   20:00 · Soak chiles
5. 5

   In the same skillet, heat 2 tablespoons lard over medium heat and sauté half the onion and 2 garlic cloves until softened, about 5 minutes.

   5:00 · Sauté onion and garlic
6. 6

   Add the tomatoes and tomatillo to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and juicy, about 8 minutes.

   8:00 · Cook tomatoes
7. 7

   In a separate dry skillet, toast the raisins, almonds, peanuts, and sesame seeds over medium-low heat until golden and fragrant, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.

   4:00 · Toast nuts and seeds
8. 8

   In the same skillet, toast the torn tortilla and bread pieces until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes.

   2:00 · Toast tortilla and bread
9. 9

   Drain the soaked chiles, reserving the soaking liquid, and transfer the chiles to a blender with the tomato mixture, toasted nuts and seeds, tortilla, bread, cinnamon, cloves, anise, and oregano. Blend with enough reserved soaking liquid to form a smooth, thick purée, scraping down the sides as needed.

10. 10

    Heat the remaining lard in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Pour in the chile purée, straining if a smoother texture is desired, and fry it, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes to deepen the flavor.

    10:00 · Fry mole paste
11. 11

    Stir in the remaining chicken stock, chopped chocolate, sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated.

12. 12

    Reduce heat to low and simmer the mole uncovered, stirring often to prevent sticking, until thickened and deeply flavored, about 45 minutes.

    45:00 · Simmer mole
13. 13

    Taste the mole and adjust seasoning with additional salt as needed. If the sauce is too thick, thin with a bit of the reserved poaching liquid.

14. 14

    Add the warm chicken pieces to the pot and simmer gently in the mole for 10 minutes to coat and heat through.

    10:00 · Simmer chicken in mole
15. 15

    Serve the chicken topped generously with mole sauce, garnished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.