March on the Farm: Chicken Molé Stew

 

Serves 8–10

  • 12 guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded

  • 4-5 cups hot chicken stock, divided

  • ¾ cup sliced blanched almonds

  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 teaspoon coarsely cracked black pepper
    Kosher salt to taste

  • 1 ½ cups raisins, divided

  • 6 cloves garlic

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

  • 5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 2 large yellow onions, sliced

  • 4 scallions, chopped, for serving

  • ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped, for serving

Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add chilies to the pan and toast, turning and pressing them down slightly, until fragrant, about 60 seconds. Place chilies into a heatproof bowl and add 2 cups hot stock. Let sit for 5 minutes to rehydrate the chilies.

In the same sauté pan, over medium-high heat, add almonds and toast until golden brown, about 5–6 minutes. Remove onto a plate to cool, reserving some for garnish. Add oregano and spices to the pan and toast, stirring frequently, about 30 seconds. Transfer spice mix plus the cooled almonds to a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Add the rehydrated chilies with their liquid, 1 cup of the raisins, and garlic cloves and purée until smooth.

In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring constantly, until it becomes darker in color and fragrant, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.

Pat chicken with a paper towel until dry. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil; heat until shimmering. Working in batches, brown the chicken thighs on all sides, about 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft, about 8–10 minutes. Return the chicken and any juices back to the Dutch oven. Add the spice paste and 2 more cups chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Add the extra cup of stock to the stew if it seems a little thick. Serve with chopped scallions, cilantro, and reserved almonds.

FoodstoreTed DelanoRecipe