Oaxacan Black Mole with Braised Chicken and Plantain

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
• 2 large ripe plantains, peeled and sliced

• 5 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 5 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 cup tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 cup almonds, toasted
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 tablet Mexican chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

Method

1. 01
   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the dried chiles. Toast them for about 2 minutes, flipping occasionally until they darken and become fragrant.
2. 02
   Transfer the chiles to a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.
3. 03
   In the same skillet, add the chopped tomatoes, onion, and garlic. Cook until everything is soft and slightly charred, about 10 minutes.
4. 04
   Combine the soaked chiles, tomato mixture, almonds, raisins, and chocolate in a blender. Blend until smooth, adding chicken broth as needed to achieve a thick, sauce-like consistency.
5. 05
   In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs and sear on both sides until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
6. 06
   Pour the mole sauce over the chicken in the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
7. 07
   Meanwhile, in a separate pan, fry the plantain slices until golden and caramelized. Set aside on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
8. 08
   Serve the braised chicken topped with the rich black mole sauce and a side of fried plantains.