Moe-lay...not mole, as in rodent. I had my very first taste of mole when the mister and I were in Acapulco on our honeymoon (in the dark ages). We spent three glorious days basking in the sun by the pool, sightseeing in an open Jeep, bargaining for crappola from kids on the street...and then I came down with an inner ear infection. The hotel doctor did not speak English, I did not speak Spanish, and that, my friends, was the cherry on top of the WORST honeymoon EVER! For four more days I held my head in my hands and moaned in pain - unable to do a thing! While I was writhing in pain, for four, long days, the mister jogged on the beach, swam in the pool, sipped drinks with umbrellas at the bar under the waterfall, played tennis and golf with other hotel guests and strutted around the Acapulco Princess in flowered shirts and sandals...and after four days of him having the time of his life, we boarded a plane back to the states. Have you ever had an ear ache on a pressurized airplane? I thought my head would explode! The plane took off from Acapulco and landed in Mexico City - problem with the landing gear and we landed on a FOAMED runway...but that's another story...Mexico City to Dallas, Dallas to Memphis, we were finally home. Three take-offs, three landings, one suicidal/homicidal me. It was an omen, si?
This is not a mole in the traditional sense. It takes about thirty minutes to make - which is about 8 hours less than a traditional mole takes! Cocoa powder, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, cloves and peanut butter...cooked with pieces of chicken...aiy carrumba! It's thick, sweet and underneath the peanutty taste, the rich, complex flavors of the other spices and the cocoa powder make this dish exotic in taste, velvety smooth in texture and mildly spicy. Four dangs, my friends...ring the Dang Meter because this one is dang, dang, dang, dang good! Serve it over rice, pasta, potatoes...you're going to like this!
Chicken Mole - Adapted from J. M. Hirsch (Food Editor of The Associated Press who adapted several of Rick Bayless' recipes) via Woman's Day Magazine, October 2010
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon each cinnamon and red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves and ground black pepper
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 slice soft white bread, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (about 3 chicken breasts)
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, combine the oil, onion, garlic, cocoa powder, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, cloves and black pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the peanut butter and mix until it melts into the other ingredients. Add the tomatoes, broth, salt and bread, and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken and return to a simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice, which is the traditional way to serve/eat mole, or over pasta or potatoes. Serves 6. You can freeze any leftovers, too, but I doubt you'll have any.
"At the end of every diet, the path curves back toward the trough." ~ Mason Cooley
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One year ago: Spezzatino - Italian Chicken, Beans and Artichoke Stew
Two years ago: French Butter
Three years ago: Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
