Chicken Mole

Prepare and Toast the Chilies. Start by wiping any dust off your dried chilies with a damp cloth. Tear them into flat pieces and remove the stems and seeds. Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and toast the chilies for about 30–60 seconds per side, just until they become fragrant and pliable. You’ll notice a smoky, slightly fruity aroma. Be careful not to blacken them, or they’ll turn bitter. Transfer them to a bowl and cover with 2 cups of hot chicken broth. Let them soak for 20 minutes to rehydrate and soften.

Toast the Nuts, Seeds, and Aromatics. In the same dry skillet, toast the almonds and sesame seeds over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Stir constantly so they don't burn. Remove them from the skillet. Next, add the torn tortilla pieces and toast until they’re slightly crisp and browned in spots. Finally, add a teaspoon of oil to the skillet and sauté the onion and garlic until softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato quarters and cook for another 3–4 minutes until they start to break down.

Brown the Chicken. While the chilies are soaking, pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt. Heat the remaining oil in your Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pot, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown and crispy, about 6–8 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3–4 minutes on the other side. You’re not cooking it through, just building flavor and color. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Create the Mole Sauce Base. To the blender, add the soaked chilies and their liquid, the toasted almonds, sesame seeds, tortilla pieces, the onion–tomato mixture, raisins, and all the spices (cloves, cinnamon, oregano, cumin). Blend on high until you have a completely smooth, thick paste. You might need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times. This paste should be very fine and aromatic.

Cook and Simmer the Sauce. Pour the pureed sauce into the same Dutch oven you used for the chicken (there’s so much flavor in those browned bits!). Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 8–10 minutes. You’ll notice it will darken in color and thicken considerably. This step, called "frying the sauce," is crucial for developing a deeper, richer flavor.

Finish the Sauce and Cook the Chicken. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth and the chopped Mexican chocolate. Keep stirring until the chocolate has fully melted into the sauce. Taste and adjust the salt. Now, nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the pot, submerging them in the sauce. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The chicken should become fall-off-the-bone tender and the sauce will have thickened and darkened even more.

Rest and Serve. Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat and let the mole rest, covered, for about 10–15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together even further and the chicken to reabsorb some of the juices. Serve the chicken with a generous amount of sauce spooned over the top and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.