Easy Chicken Mole

My husband lived in Mexico for a few years and so good Mexican food is a big deal in our house. He really dislikes it when I find Mexican food recipes that involve shortcuts / casseroles / anything that makes the dish less authentic. That being said, this is a recipe he actually enjoys. And he loves a good authentic mole so it is saying a lot that he likes this recipe. We found it in a Sunset Magazine a few years ago and have since cooked it dozens of times, making our own modifications when necessary. It is one of our favorite meals. The sauce is so good that I love to eat the leftover sauce by the spoonful, warm or cold.

Easy Chicken Mole
(adapted from Sunset Magazine )

Serves 4 to 6 / 30 minutes

1 T vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 medium clove of garlic, chopped
1 tsp Chile Powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (On occasion I have substituted extra chile powder)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp anise seeds (I usually crush 1-2 star anise seeds and it seems like a good amount)
1 T toasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 T semisweet chocolate chips
2 lbs chicken
1 Serrano chile, minced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
Lime wedges

1. Cook chicken according to preference. Sometimes I cub and saute the chicken in a pan, other times I cook the chicken in a crockpot for a few hours with a little bit of chicken broth and then shred. The original recipe calls for grilled chicken.
2. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet and cook onion and garlic until soft (3 minutes). Add spices, sesame seed, and almonds. Cook for 1 minute. Add tomato puree, broth, and chocolate chips.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stir often. The sauce should thicken and darken after about ten minutes.
4. Transfer the sauce to a blender and add 1/2 cup of water. Blend until smooth.
5. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with chile, cilantro, and lime wedges.