Brought to us by John
For the Chicken Stock
1 chicken breast (chopped)
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
6 sprigs each of fresh thyme, oregano, and parsley
For the Molé Sauce
12 chiles guajillos, cleaned (I could only find them at Byerlys)
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 whole clove (ground in a pestle)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup oil
1 small onion, quartered
8 cloves garlic, peeled
One 2-inch piece cinnamon stick (grated)
1 plantain, peeled, chopped
1 ounce Mexican chocolate (If you can’t find it, substitute Dark Bittersweet chocolate and a pinch of cinnamon)
7 chicken breasts
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In a stock pot, add all ingredients for the Chicken Stock, cover with water, and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, remove the stems from the chile peppers. Cut them in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Toast the chiles briefly in a hot skillet; do not over toast. Place chiles in a small bowl and cover with hot water; set aside.
Place the peeled tomatoes in a food processor and pulse a few times. Toast the sesame seeds until just browned in the same skillet. Add to the tomatoes, along with the oregano, cloves, and allspice. Blend until smooth.
Add oil to the skillet and fry the onion pieces for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and cinnamon stick and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to the blender. Fry the plantain for a few minutes, then transfer to the food processor, along with the chiles and 2 cups of the chicken stock.
Blend until smooth. Strain the sauce and return to the skillet. Add the chocolate and season with salt.
Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken breasts to pan; cook 5 minutes, turn over and cook additional 5 minutes. Add the molé sauce, and bake uncovered at 350° for 30 minutes or until done. The molé sauce should be fairly thick.
