Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Mole

Even though mole is typically high in fat, it's one of my favorite Mexican dishes. Given my sweet tooth, that’s not surprising: Mole incorporates cocoa powder and sugar. My husband was reluctant to try my take on mole, because his mother and aunts prepared mole that was more sweet than spicy. Here, I’ve eliminated nearly all of the fat, and struck a balance between sweet, spicy, and savory flavors, so both my husband and I can enjoy mole.

I'm sharing this recipe with you this week so you'll have time to prepare it for any Cinco de Mayo celebrations you're planning, but it's a terrific recipe for any time of the year. !Buen provecho!

Slow Cooker Chicken Mole

Ingredients:

1 (1 ½ ounce) package dried pasilla, mulato, or ancho chiles

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
¼ cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon sugar substitute
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 pound frozen boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins (see Cook's Notes)

Directions:

Remove stems from chiles, if necessary. Combine chiles and tomato sauce in blender. Puree until chiles are integrated into sauce.

Pour sauce into slow cooker. Add cornmeal, cocoa powder, sugar substitute, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, and cloves, and stir to combine. Place chicken on top of sauce.

Cook on LOW for 6 – 8 hours (do NOT cook on HIGH!), or until chicken is cooked through.

Cook's Notes:


Although mole is usually plated and served with side dishes, I think it's delish in corn tortillas with just a sprinkle of queso blanco. When I prepare it this way, I use frozen chicken breasts, then shred the meat with two forks. It's not as visually appealing as tenderloins, but it's more cost-effective.