Name: Chicken Mole
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: 8 cups water; 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided; 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken quarters (about 3 1/4 pounds); 3.75 cups vegetable oil, divided; 12 garlic cloves, divided; 4.5 cups diced plum tomatoes; 3.5 cups diced yellow onion; 8 dried guajillo chiles (1 3/4 ounces), stemmed; 6 dried chiles de árbol (1/8 ounces), stemmed; 4 dried ancho chiles (2 1/2 ounces), stemmed; 3 dried pasilla negro chiles (3/4 ounce), stemmed; 2 dried mulato chiles (1 ounces), stemmed; .5 cup sesame seeds, plus more for garnish; .5 cup pepitas; 3 6-inch corn tortillas, plus more for serving; 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bolillo or demi baguette, torn into pieces (about 5 1/2 cups); 1 (about 3-ounce) Mexican chocolate disk (such as Dandelion or Ibarra); Cooked long-grain white rice, for serving

Active Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Total Time:

2 hrs 5 mins

Servings:

At La Guerrera's Kitchen in Oakland, this mole is inspired by chef Ofelia Barajas' grandmother Jovita Vargas' recipe from her restaurant in Guerrero, Mexico. It's rich, warm, and well-balanced, with a variety of chiles adding layers of heat, fruitiness, sweetness, and smokiness.

As you fry the individual ingredients, Barajas recommends smelling and tasting each one, including the chiles, to create a connection with each — and to learn how to build the flavors that make a great mole. The payoff is a luscious and complex sauce that drapes over tender chicken. Serve with rice and fresh tortillas to swipe up every drop of sauce.

Ingredients

8 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken quarters (about 3 1/4 pounds)
3 3/4 cups vegetable oil, divided
12 garlic cloves, divided
4 1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes
3 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
8 dried guajillo chiles (1 3/4 ounces), stemmed
6 dried chiles de árbol (1/8 ounce), stemmed
4 dried ancho chiles (2 1/2 ounces), stemmed
3 dried pasilla negro chiles (3/4 ounce), stemmed
2 dried mulato chiles (1 ounce), stemmed
1/2 cup sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup pepitas
3 (6-inch) corn tortillas, plus more for serving
1 (3 1/2-ounce) bolillo or demi baguette, torn into pieces (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 (about 3-ounce) Mexican chocolate disk (such as Dandelion or Ibarra)
Cooked long-grain white rice, for serving

Directions

Bring 8 cups of water and 1/2 tablespoon of salt to a boil in a large stockpot over high. Reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken. Cook until the chicken is tender and a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of the meat registers 155°F, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken; set aside on a large plate. Reserve 4 cups of the chicken cooking liquid in a large heatproof bowl; discard remaining cooking liquid.
Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add 8 garlic cloves; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, onions, and 1/2 tablespoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent and softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender. Secure lid on blender and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a kitchen towel over opening on lid. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside.
Wipe skillet clean. Add 3 cups vegetable oil; heat over medium-high. Working with a few different types of chiles at a time, place in a spider and submerge in hot oil for 2 seconds per batch. Remove from oil using spider and place in a large heat-proof bowl. Repeat with remaining chiles and remaining four garlic cloves.
Place sesame seeds and pepitas in a medium metal strainer; submerge in hot oil in skillet over medium-high. Cook, stirring mixture inside strainer and shaking occasionally, until seeds are golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer seed mixture to bowl with chile mixture.
Working with one tortilla at a time, add to hot oil in skillet over medium-high. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer fried tortillas to a plate lined with paper towels; let cool 5 minutes. Break into 2-inch pieces. (Strained and cooled oil may be reused for frying.)
Add chile mixture, tortilla pieces, and bolillo pieces to reserved 4 cups chicken cooking liquid in bowl. Let stand until liquid is almost absorbed and bolillo has softened, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a blender; process until smooth, about 1 minute.
Heat remaining 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a large pot over medium. Add tomato mixture; cook, stirring constantly, until heated through, about 1 minute. Add blended chile mixture and chocolate disk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chocolate has melted and mixture is well combined, about 20 minutes. Add cooked chicken and remaining 1 tablespoon salt; stir to submerge in mole. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until chicken is heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with rice and tortillas; garnish with additional sesame seeds.