Chicken Mole

Chicken Mole (from http://casualkitchen.blogspot.com/2006/12/seven-ways-to-get-faster-at-cooking.html)

(Modified beyond recognition from an extremely old issue of Bon Appetit Magazine)

Ingredients:

Spice mix:

2 Tablespoons mild chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

A few shakes of cayenne pepper if desired

1 1/2 lbs chicken (prefer chicken breasts, cut into chunks or strips)

Cayenne pepper and coarse ground black pepper for seasoning

4 cans (14.5 ounces each) stewed tomatoes

1.5 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (prefer Baker’s)

Directions:

1) Season raw chicken with cayenne pepper and coarse ground black pepper.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive on high heat in a large, deep (4 Quart) nonstick pan. Add chicken and sear at high heat until just done (do not overcook!).

Set chicken aside.

2) Reduce heat to medium-high and add a few more tablespoons of olive oil to pan.

Shake spice mix into the olive oil and stir with a plastic spatula.

Add more oil (if needed) until all of the spice mix is moistened in the oil.

Heat spices until they are blackened and smoking, about 6-7 minutes or more (be sure to have your overhead fan on for this part!).

3) Lower heat to low and add unsweetened chocolate. As the chocolate is melting, stir it into the blackened spices with a spatula. When the chocolate is fully melted, add in the stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked chicken into the sauce and simmer for 5 more minutes.

Serve over white rice.