Infusion of Cultures Recipe: Kicked-Up Chicken Mole
For a lot of families in South Texas, traditions are important. Keeping precious memories that have passed down through generations alive helps to enrich a family’s history as well as the culture that they are a part of. As a mother of three, life is always busy, but traditions demand our attention. My own upbringing was that of a traditional Mexican household, while my husband was raised in a German-Mexican household. The big cultural difference of living in a small community after living in a huge metropolis in the great state of Texas seems to also have had an effect on how we approach our traditions.
This is how I came up with a great Chicken Mole recipe. This simple recipe infuses a world of flavors. Mole is a common sauce that varies wildly throughout different regions of Latin America. I wanted to take the traditional mole and put a unique twist on it that could be accomplished using pantry staples that many families tend to have on hand.
Below are the ingredients that I used for this kicked-up recipe. This would be great at a traditional homestyle meal to bring back your childhood memories this Hispanic Heritage Month.
4 chicken quarters (skin on)
1 ½ cup chicken broth
½ cup of chopped onion
½ cup mole paste
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup of peanut butter
¼ cup of orange juice
3 tablespoons avocado oil
½ teaspoon curry season
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon dried mustard
Place the 2 tablespoons of the avocado oil into a large deep skillet on medium heat. Once the avocado oil is hot place chicken quarters and sautées till golden brown and delicious. Set aside till ready to serve.
In a large deep pot, add 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil and the chopped onion. While the onion sautés, add your mole paste, curry seasoning, smoked paprika, and dried mustard. Pour water over chicken, add chicken bouillon, bay leaf, garlic, and salt. Change the temperature to low and then add chicken stock, orange juice. Stir till all components are well blended. Finally, add the
peanut butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips. Again, stir until well blended.
Plate chicken quarter and add Mole sauce to the top. Use the roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish if desired. Add rice and beans or any other traditional Hispanic sides to complete this traditional on-the-go meal. Remember the Hispanic Culinary Arts has a lot of flavors because there is a lot of AMOR.
¡Salud! From my kitchen to yours