Name: Chicken in Mole Sauce
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 dried ancho chillies; 1.5 tbsp sunflower oil; 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skinless; 1 large onion, chopped; 1.5 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp cinnamon; 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 35 g raisins; 1.5 tbsp smooth peanut butter; 1 tbsp chipotle paste; 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes; 300 ml water; 20 g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa); salt (to taste); 300 g long-grain rice; 0.5 bunch coriander (cilantro), finely chopped; 1 lime (zest and juice); 0.5 red onion, in rings; 0.5 lime (juice only); 1 pinch salt; 100 g soured cream (to serve); 1 tbsp sesame seeds (for sprinkling); 1 lime (cut into wedges, to serve)

Preparation

Put the ancho chillies in a bowl, just cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a casserole, brown the salted chicken thighs all over (in batches if necessary) and remove. Soften the onion in the same pot for 5 minutes, then toast the cumin and cinnamon with it for 1 minute.
Lift the chillies out of the soaking water (keep the water), and remove the stems and seeds. Blend them with 4 tbsp of the soaking water, the garlic and the raisins to a paste and add it to the pot.
Stir in the peanut butter, chipotle paste, tomatoes and water, return the chicken thighs to the pot, season with salt, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Take out the meat, pull it off the bones with two forks and return it to the sauce. Stir in the chocolate and simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little soaking water or plain water.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Set the red onion aside with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Add the coriander and the lime zest and juice to the finished rice and fluff it up.
Serve the mole over the rice, sprinkled with the pickled onion and sesame seeds, with soured cream and lime wedges on the side.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Zinfandel or Garnacha, fruity, lightly chilled
Ripe dark fruit picks up the raisins and cocoa in the mole, and the soft tannins do not clash with the chillies; lightly chilled, because a lot of alcohol drives up the heat.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Dark beer · excellent match
Mexican dark lager, Vienna style, cold
Roasted malt and caramel meet the roasted ancho and chocolate, and cold and carbonation cool the chipotle heat.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Mezcal · excellent match
Mezcal Espadín over one large ice cube, with an orange wedge
The classic from Oaxaca: the smoke of the roasted agave meets the roasted ancho, cocoa and cinnamon of the mole; the large ice cube dilutes it so that the alcohol does not stoke the chilli heat.
Tequila and Mezcal: What's the Difference?
Aged tequila · good match
Reposado over one large ice cube
The barrel notes and vanilla of the aged tequila meet the cinnamon, raisin and chocolate; the ice dilutes it so that the alcohol does not stoke the heat.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes
Herbal liqueur · good match
Amaro with soda and orange zest over ice
The bitter herbs are related to cocoa and roasted chilli, and soda and ice keep the alcohol low.
What is Amaro? Understanding Italian bitter liqueurs

Preparation

Put the ancho chillies in a bowl, just cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a casserole, brown the salted chicken thighs all over (in batches if necessary) and remove. Soften the onion in the same pot for 5 minutes, then toast the cumin and cinnamon with it for 1 minute.
Lift the chillies out of the soaking water (keep the water), and remove the stems and seeds. Blend them with 4 tbsp of the soaking water, the garlic and the raisins to a paste and add it to the pot.
Stir in the peanut butter, chipotle paste, tomatoes and water, return the chicken thighs to the pot, season with salt, cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Take out the meat, pull it off the bones with two forks and return it to the sauce. Stir in the chocolate and simmer, uncovered, for another 30 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little soaking water or plain water.
Cook the rice according to the packet instructions. Set the red onion aside with the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Add the coriander and the lime zest and juice to the finished rice and fluff it up.
Serve the mole over the rice, sprinkled with the pickled onion and sesame seeds, with soured cream and lime wedges on the side.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Zinfandel or Garnacha, fruity, lightly chilled
Ripe dark fruit picks up the raisins and cocoa in the mole, and the soft tannins do not clash with the chillies; lightly chilled, because a lot of alcohol drives up the heat.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Dark beer · excellent match
Mexican dark lager, Vienna style, cold
Roasted malt and caramel meet the roasted ancho and chocolate, and cold and carbonation cool the chipotle heat.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Mezcal · excellent match
Mezcal Espadín over one large ice cube, with an orange wedge
The classic from Oaxaca: the smoke of the roasted agave meets the roasted ancho, cocoa and cinnamon of the mole; the large ice cube dilutes it so that the alcohol does not stoke the chilli heat.
Tequila and Mezcal: What's the Difference?
Aged tequila · good match
Reposado over one large ice cube
The barrel notes and vanilla of the aged tequila meet the cinnamon, raisin and chocolate; the ice dilutes it so that the alcohol does not stoke the heat.
Tequila Blanco, Reposado, and Añejo: what aging changes
Herbal liqueur · good match
Amaro with soda and orange zest over ice
The bitter herbs are related to cocoa and roasted chilli, and soda and ice keep the alcohol low.
What is Amaro? Understanding Italian bitter liqueurs

Chicken in Mole Sauce

Preparation

Drink with it

Zinfandel or Garnacha, fruity, lightly chilled

Mexican dark lager, Vienna style, cold

Mezcal Espadín over one large ice cube, with an orange wedge

Reposado over one large ice cube

Amaro with soda and orange zest over ice

This pairs well too.

Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy

Roast rabbit Thuringian style (Kaninchenbraten Thüringer Art)

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Spare Ribs from the Oven or Smoker

Chicken in Mole Sauce

Preparation

Drink with it

Zinfandel or Garnacha, fruity, lightly chilled

Mexican dark lager, Vienna style, cold

Mezcal Espadín over one large ice cube, with an orange wedge

Reposado over one large ice cube

Amaro with soda and orange zest over ice

This pairs well too.

Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy

Roast rabbit Thuringian style (Kaninchenbraten Thüringer Art)

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Spare Ribs from the Oven or Smoker