Mole chicken and salad

Mole crock pot chicken

I don't know about you but I tend to get stuck on one note when it comes to Mexican food. Restaurants offer the same list of foods regardless of the origins of the owners, chefs, staff or locations. You are guaranteed to find tacos, enchiladas, burritos, fajitas and nachos. These are all pretty much the same group of similarly spiced shredded meats poured over, wrapped in or piled on top of some variation of corn or flour. Real Mexican food is vibrant, nuanced and regional. Watch one episode of Rick Bayless to see the variety that is available. He does a great job of sharing the beautiful Mexican culture to the American audience. Most of our recipes are a tomato/cumin/cilantro balance and get pretty dull after a while. To put a little spring back in your step, try this mole chicken. When I told my husband that I put chocolate chips in the sauce the look on his face alone made it all worth while. Traditionally, this would get a heaping of ancho chilies and ancho sauce but it is always packed with soybean oil. Instead, I use extra ancho chili powder and call it good. 

When shopping for chocolate chips that are dairy, soy and gluten free, try the Enjoy Life brand. (Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, Gluten, Dairy, nut & Soy Free, Mini Chips, 10-Ounce Bags (Pack of 6) ) They are delicious and reasonable. 

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs boneless/skinless chicken- I used thighs, you can use breasts too
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 1 large can crushed tomato
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbl sesame seeds (I prefer toasted for a bolder flavor)
• 1 can green chilies
• 3 tbl sunflower butter or almond butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbl ancho chili powder (again, I used toasted)
• 2 tbl ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tbl chocolate chips or shaved chocolate

Prep: 

Into the crock pot put the onion and garlic. Pour the can of crushed tomatoes on top and the add all of the chilies, sunflower butter and spices. (everything but the chocolate) Mix all together and submerge the chicken. 

Cook: 

Turn on the crock pot on low for 4 hours. After that, it is ready anytime. Prior to serving, put the chocolate chips in and stir. This adds a nice rich flavor and texture. Shred the chicken and serve with a heaping of sauce. I love this on its own or rolled up in homemade corn tortillas as a sort of enchiladas. This also goes great with a lime salad.