Beer Poached Pulled Chicken Mole Food

CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• Split, stem, and seed the chilies. Toast them in a medium dry skillet over medium-high heat, flipping and flattening with a spatula, until fragrant, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer the chilies to a bowl, cover with very hot water, and set aside until soft and pliable, about 30 minutes and then drain.
• Adjust the oven rack to its highest position and preheat the broiler to high. Put the tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the vegetables until the skins are charred and the garlic is soft, flipping as needed, about 8 minutes for the tomatoes and onions and 3 minutes for the garlic. Cool and then squeeze the garlic out of their skins, and put in a blender along with the drained chiles, tomatoes, onion, 3/4 cup chicken broth, chocolate, almonds, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, bread and chipotle en adobo. Blend until smooth.
• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Carefully add the mole mixture and cook, stirring, until thick and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth. (The mole sauce can be made to this point a day ahead and refrigerated.)
• Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer until the chicken is heated through, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, scatter the sesame seeds over top and serve with rice if using.
• Put the onion and chicken in a medium saucepan. Cover with the broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the chicken is just firm to the touch, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, uncover, and cool the chicken in the liquid for about 30 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a large dish or bowl to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Strain the broth and store, covered, in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze for later use. Remove any fat from the surface of the broth before using.

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• For the brine and chicken: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the salt, sugar, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add 3 cups ice. Once the liquid is cool, pour into a freezer bag. Add the chicken to the brine, making sure it is completely submerged. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the dry rub: Combine the ancho chile powder, granulated garlic, salt, cumin, onion powder, cinnamon and black pepper together and toast in a dry pan until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with the dry rub, massaging the spices into the meat and ensuring that all sides are completely coated. Return to the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour.
• For the mole sauce: In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the canola oil and onions and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, chocolate, almonds, cinnamon, cumin, ancho chiles and chipotles with their liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add in the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Add the currants and process again. Set half of the sauce aside for serving and reserve the other half for basting the chicken.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes per side. Using a silicone pastry brush, baste with the mole sauce for the final 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time.
• Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with steamed white rice and extra mole sauce slathered over the top.

PULLED CHICKEN GUMBO

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with salt. Add the chicken skin-side down to the pot and cook until browned, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook 2 more minutes; transfer to a plate. Remove the crispy chicken skin, slice and reserve on the side for garnish.
• Lower the heat to medium-low and stir in the flour, cooking until the resulting paste (roux) turns brown and smells of roasted peanuts, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add the garlic, celery, scallion whites, bell peppers and onions and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the stock, seafood seasoning and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Return the chicken to the pot, bring to a simmer and cook until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Remove the chicken and set aside until cool enough to handle. Shred into bite-size pieces, discarding the bones, and return the meat to the pot.
• Ladle the gumbo into a soup bowl and garnish with the scallion greens and sliced chicken skin.

SOLO CHICKEN BREAST POACHED IN BEER

Steps:

• Place a thawed chicken breast in a preheated 8 inch cast iron frying pan or one with a non stick surface and sear each side for 2 minutes.
• Add warm beer and poach the chicken uncovered for 15 minutes.
• Bring 2 quarts of salted water to a boil, and after the chicken has been poaching for 8 minutes, add the dried pasta to the boiling water.
• After the chicken has cooked for another 8 minutes, remove the chicken and add the onion to the poaching liquid.
• Dice the chicken, return it to the frying pan, drain the pasta, add it to the frying pan, and add the diced olives.
• Cook mixture for another 2 minutes, and serve.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

BEER-BRAISED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Cook onion in butter 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Sprinkle all sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet; cook 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until browned.
• Pour beer around chicken. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover; simmer 45 to 50 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (at least 165°F). Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.
• In small bowl, mix flour and 1/4 cup hot cooking juices with whisk until smooth. Pour mixture into skillet; cook over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring constantly with whisk, until thickened and bubbly. Serve chicken with gravy.