Grilled Chicken With Prepared Mole And Rice Recipes

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• For the brine and chicken: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the salt, sugar, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add 3 cups ice. Once the liquid is cool, pour into a freezer bag. Add the chicken to the brine, making sure it is completely submerged. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the dry rub: Combine the ancho chile powder, granulated garlic, salt, cumin, onion powder, cinnamon and black pepper together and toast in a dry pan until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with the dry rub, massaging the spices into the meat and ensuring that all sides are completely coated. Return to the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour.
• For the mole sauce: In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the canola oil and onions and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, chocolate, almonds, cinnamon, cumin, ancho chiles and chipotles with their liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add in the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Add the currants and process again. Set half of the sauce aside for serving and reserve the other half for basting the chicken.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes per side. Using a silicone pastry brush, baste with the mole sauce for the final 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time.
• Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with steamed white rice and extra mole sauce slathered over the top.

CHICKEN WITH QUICK MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Season chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, chile powder, cumin, cinnamon and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt to the pan. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, broth, chocolate chips and almond (or peanut) butter; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, return the chicken (and any accumulated juice) to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

CHICKEN IN MOLE, PUEBLA STYLE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, parboil the chicken in water seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Drain, reserving cooking broth, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the dish.
• Prepare the Mole Poblano. Clean the chiles by removing stems, veins, and seeds; reserve 1 tablespoon of the seeds. Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a heavy skillet until it shimmers. Fry the chiles until crisp, about 10 to 15 seconds, turning once; make sure they do not burn. Drain on paper towels. Put the chiles in a nonreactive bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking water. Puree the chiles in a blender with enough of the soaking water to make a smooth paste. It may be necessary to scrape down the sides and blend several times to obtain a smooth paste. In a heavy Dutch oven heat an additional 1/2 cup oil over medium heat and add the chile puree (be careful - it will splatter). Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Puree the tomatillos in a blender. In a coffee or spice grinder, grind the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and toasted seeds. Add the seed mixture and the garlic to the pureed tomatillos and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy frying pan. Fry each of the following ingredients and then remove with a slotted spoon: the raisins until they puff up; the almonds to a golden brown; the pumpkin seeds until they pop. If necessary, add enough oil to make 4 tablespoons and fry the tortilla pieces and bread slices until golden brown, about 15 seconds per side; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Add raisins, almonds, pumpkins seeds, tortillas, and bread to the tomatillo puree and blend, using 1 to 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth, as needed, to make a smooth sauce. This may have to be done in batches. In a heavy Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the chile puree, the tomatillo puree, and the Mexican chocolate (be careful - it will splatter). Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the remaining 5 cups of chicken broth, cook over low heat for an additional 45 minutes, stirring often enough to prevent the mixture from scorching on the bottom. During the last 15 minutes of cooking time, add the parboiled chicken and heat through. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with white rice.

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE NEGRO

Steps:

• For the mole negro: In a large saute pan over medium heat, toast the ancho and guajillo chiles on both sides until softened and fragrant, being careful not to scorch them, 20 to 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of hot water to the pan, just enough to cover the chiles, and set aside for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Add the chiles and soaking water to a blender. Then add the onions, almonds, raisins, piloncillo, sesame seeds, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, cloves and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until very smooth, adding a little more chicken broth if too thick.
• In a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the lard and the mole puree and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture becomes glossy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups chicken broth and the chocolate. Boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thick, about 15 minutes. Add the salt; taste and adjust as needed. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
• For the grilled chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a grill for high heat and wipe down the grates with an oil-blotted paper towel.
• Combine the granulated garlic, salt, ancho powder, cumin, chipotle powder, pepper and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle the chicken pieces all over with spice mixture. Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down, and cook until nicely charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the reverse side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Once chicken has acquired nice grill marks, transfer it to a roasting pan and finish cooking in the oven, 15 to 20 minutes.
• To serve, ladle the mole sauce onto a large platter and arrange the grilled chicken, skin-side up, on the top. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. Serve with extra mole sauce on the side.

TRADITIONAL RED MOLE CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the Mole: Roast the peanuts on a baking sheet for 10 to 12 minutes. In a small skillet, toast the sesame seeds for a couple of minutes until brown. Let cool, then finely grind in a food processor. Set both aside.
• Toast the anchos in a small skillet over medium heat. Soak in hot water to soften, about 20 minutes. Drain and remove the seeds and stems.
• In a blender, puree the anchos until smooth. Add the ground spices and puree.
• Pour the oil into a medium pot and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the puree and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the peanuts and sesame seeds and simmer for another 2 minutes. Add the chocolate and let it melt. Stir in the vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside.
• For the rice: Wash the rice and put it into a rice cooker or pan with enough water to stretch from the tip of your finger to the first knuckle on your index finger (that's a trick). Sprinkle in the saffron, cover and cook until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• For the chicken: In a large skillet, saute the onion in the oil. When the onion becomes transparent, add the chicken and cook until white on all sides. Add the mole and chicken stock and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Serve over the saffron rice with corn tortillas, glazed carrots and calabacitas.
• Combine corn, squash, chiles and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the squash can be pierced with a fork. Remove from heat, add the butter and salt. Stir and serve.
• Cut the carrots into sticks. Melt the butter and sugar in a large skillet. Add the carrots and cook over medium heat until the carrots are glazed and a little browned.

SAUTEED CHICKEN WITH QUICK MOLE SAUCE AND CILANTRO RICE

Steps:

• Puree 1 cup of the cilantro with 13/4 cups water in a blender.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until opaque, about 1 minute. Add the cilantro water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, undisturbed, until the rice is tender and absorbs all the liquid, about 18 minutes. Let stand, covered, until ready to serve. Fluff with a fork and stir in the remaining 1/2 cup cilantro before serving.
• Sprinkle the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the five-spice, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and partially cooked through, 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
• Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the chile powder, garlic and remaining 1/2 teaspoon five-spice and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup water and stir to combine. Add the nut butter, soy sauce, sugar, and cocoa powder and whisk until combined. Add 1 more cup water and bring to a simmer.
• Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer, flipping occasionally, until it is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 12 minutes. Serve the chicken and mole sauce with the cilantro rice on the side.