A Pinch of Yum - Chicken Mole

Too often we think that heart healthy food has no taste, but you'll see in this recipe for one of my favorite dishes that taste abounds in one of my favorite recipes for Chicken Mole.

What is Mole? The name mole comes from the Nahuatl word for sauce – mōlli – and is the generic name for several variations of rich sauces that come in colors like yellow, red, black and even green. Other moles are named for their ingredients and flavors, such as pipián, huaxmole and almendrado. However, as a rule of thumb, all moles contain some combination of nut, fruit, and chili. Over the years, mole recipes have gradually become more elaborate. As well as being served with meat, alongside rice, leftover mole is often used to make the filling for tamales or as an alternative topping for enchiladas; in fact, enchiladastopped with mole are called enmoladas.

So here goes, here is my recipe for Chicken Mole.

Ingredients:

Servings 8 Serving Size 3/4 cup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped

• 1 medium garlic clove, minced OR

• 1/2 teaspoon jarred minced garlic

• 1 4- to 4.5-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

• 1 to 3 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

• 1 10.5-ounce can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded, cut into bit-size pieces

• 4 8-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

• 1/2 cup fat-free or low-fat sour cream

• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (green part only) (optional)

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the green chiles, almonds, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Stir in the broth and tomato sauce.

2. Using a hand blender or immersion blender, puree the mixture in the pot. (Alternatively, puree the mixture in a food processer or blender and return to the pot.) Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the chicken. Simmer for 8 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.

5. Put the tortilla strips on a baking sheet. Broil the tortillas strips about 6 inches from the heat for 2 minutes. Stir. Broil for 1 minute. Stir. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the strips start to turn crisp and golden. Remove from the broiler. (Some strips will be partly soft.)

6. Reserve about one-fourth of the tortilla strips for garnish. Put the remaining tortilla strips and 3/4 cup mole in each bowl. Top with the sour cream, green onions and reserved tortilla strips.