Encacahuatado, Chicken with Mexican Peanut Chocolate Sauce

(Mexico)
Yield: 6 servings
 

Ingredients

1 can chipotle peppers (available at supermarkets; chipotle paste may be used instead)
4 oz (120 g) peeled unsalted peanuts
2 oz (60 g) toasted sesame seed
2 oz (60 g) toasted peeled almonds
2 oz (60 g) pecans
2 oz (60 g) raisins
4 slices of dried bread and fried until golden
1 oz (30 g) semisweet chocolate
3 roasted cloves of garlic
2 cinnamon twigs (4 inches / 10 cm tall)
1 tablespoon star anise
1 tablespoon ground pepper
1 tortilla sliced and fried
1 chopped onion
Chicken broth
Salt to taste
A pinch of sugar, if necessary
Cooking oil
Cooked chicken legs, breasts and thighs
Encacahuatado


Method

  1. In a large saucepan heat oil and fry nuts, almonds, peanuts, garlic, and onions slightly and set apart until cold. Onions should become transparent.
  2. Blend to a smooth paste in a blender when cold.
  3. Add to blender chipotle peppers, sesame seeds, raisins, fried bread, tortilla, cinnamon, pepper, anise, and blend; add chicken broth to obtain a smooth, thick sauce.
  4. Heat the sauce in a saucepan while stirring with a wooden spoon, if necessary add more chicken broth.
  5. Add chicken to boiling sauce, lower heat to a minimum and cook for at least 7 minutes. Add salt and if necessary a pinch of sugar. (This should preferably be prepared one day in advance).
  6. Add chocolate, mix well when melted.
(Submitted by Isabel González G., Mexico City).

Variations

  1. If you are not able to obtain chipotle peppers (which are smoked jalapenos) you may use jalapeno peppers OR morita (smaller) OR mora OR ancho (larger and milder). However, to obtain the smoked flavor we recommend that chipotle peppers are used if possible (Robin Quarrier, Tucson AZ, USA).
  2. For an easier version, you may use panut butter instead of peanuts, almonds and pecans.

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