Community Cocina: Pollo con Mole Poblano
Last Thursday we shared yet another phenomenal evening with Chef Yamira Johnson as part of our Community Cocina program! A HUGE thank you to everyone that joined us for this fun and interactive lesson. We want to extend a special thank you to our partners at the the Orlando United Assistance Center for their continued generosity in opening their doors and allowing us to make their home ours.
We learned to prepare the indo-Mexican dish, Mole. Mole (pronounced moh-leh) is a sauce found distinctly in Mexican foods and originated from a blend of indigenous and colonial recipes. The name itself comes from the Nahuatl language meaning sauce. It is made from a blend of peppers, tomatoes, and dark bitter chocolate, that when mixed together form a truly delicious and savory topping for any meal! Check out the full recipe below!
Pollo con Mole Poblano
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 can tomatoes, drained and diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 chipotle peppers, roughly chopped
10 ounces of chicken or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
5 pounds chicken breasts, cut into 8 pieces
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.
Add onions and saute until translucent.
Add garlic and spices, continuing to saute until toasted.
Mix together diced tomatoes, peppers, broth, peanut butter, and chocolate and add to pan.
Simmer mixture for 10 minutes, once the chocolate has melted and the sauce has thickened slowly blend together until a smooth puree.
In a heavy bottomed saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken until browned on both sides. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Line the cooked chicken in a casserole dish, covering it with the Mole sauce and braise in the over for 45 minutes.
Remove from over and garnish with sliced almonds or toasted pumpkin seeds and serve over white rice.
About Community Cocina Community Cocina is a multi-cultural education series that seeks to analyze the history and culture of the Latin American, Central American, and Caribbean regions by understanding their roots and exploring them through their music, language, and cuisine.
