Chicken mole with coriander rice

If you're a fan of chilli con carne, you'll love this dark, sweet and spicy South American stew with ancho, ground nuts and chocolate

Prep:30 mins
Cook:2 hrs

Serves 6
Easy

Nutrition per serving

kcal 690
fat 22g
saturates 5g
carbs 93g
sugars 13g
fibre 3g
protein 28g
salt 0.5g

Ingredients

2 ancho chillies (see tip, below)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skins removed
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp cinnamon
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
50g raisins
2 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp chipotle paste
400g can chopped tomatoes
25g dark chocolate (look for one with at least 70% cocoa solids)
1 small red onion, sliced into rings
juice 1 lime, plus wedges to serve (optional)
150ml pot soured cream
600g long grain rice
large bunch coriander, finely chopped
zest 2 limes and juice of 1

Tip

Chilli know-how
Ancho is the name given to the dried poblano pepper, which is grown in South America and used in its dried form to flavour sauces and stews. Ancho chillies are large, with dark brown or black skins and a sweet, raisin-like flavour. They have a medium spice.

Method

Put the chillies in a bowl and add enough boiling water to just cover. Leave to soften for 20 mins. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish, season the chicken, then brown on all sides. You may have to do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the dish. Remove to a plate. Add the onions to the dish and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the spices and cook for 1 min until aromatic.
Remove the chillies from their soaking liquid, reserving the liquid, and discard the stalks and seeds. Put in a food processor with 4 tbsp of the soaking liquid, the garlic and raisins. Whizz to a paste, then tip into the dish. Add the peanut butter, chipotle paste, tomatoes and 400ml water (fill up the tomato can and swirl to get all the tomato bits out). Return the chicken to the dish and season. Cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hr.
Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Using 2 forks, shred the meat and discard the bones. Return the chicken to the sauce, add the chocolate and continue cooking, uncovered, for 30 mins more. If the sauce looks like it’s getting a little too thick, add some of the chilli soaking liquid or some water.
Cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, put the red onion in a small bowl. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Leave to pickle until ready to serve. When the rice is cooked, add the coriander and lime zest and juice, and fluff up with a fork. Remove the mole from the heat, scatter with the pickled red onion and serve alongside the rice, with soured cream and lime wedges, if you like.