The Easiest Mole

I remember the first time I made mole.  Roasting the peppers alone had my kitchen filled with a fragrant smoke that had anyone within a mile radius coughing.

It was an all day affair, and while the end result was delicious, it just didn't seem worth all the time and effort.  Not when I could easily pop into a restaurant and grab a fabulous mole dish without subjecting myself to smoke inhalation.

That was the last time I made mole from scratch.

UNTIL earlier this year when one of my favorite blogs featured a slow-cooker mole.  How come no one thought of this before?  Or how come no one told me about it before?  No smoke filled kitchen, and even if it takes all day, I don't have to hang around doing the cooking!

Just delicious chicken mole.  And plenty of it!  This mole isn't too spicy either, even Thatbaby enjoyed it.  And it makes plenty - stay tuned tomorrow for a way to use up some of the leftovers.

Slow-Cooker Chicken Mole (From Food Everyday as seen on Tomatoes on the Vine)

4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 12)

coarse salt

1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed

1 large chipotle chile in adobo sauce

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1/4 cup raisins

3-ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (1/2 cup)

3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

1. Season chicken thighs with salt and place in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker.  
2. In a blender, puree tomatoes, onion, ancho and chipotle chiles, almonds, raisins, chocolate, garlic, oil, cumin, and cinnamon until smooth. 
3. Add tomato mixture to slow cooker, cover and cook on high until chicken is tender, 4 hours (or 8hours on low).  Serve chicken and sauce topped with cilantro.