Chicken with Quick Mole Sauce

From EatingWell: May/June 2011

Rich, dark and delicious, mole is a signature sauce in Mexican cooking. There are many variations, but the basic ingredients include plenty of chiles and nuts along with a touch of chocolate to tame the heat of the chiles. Traditional recipes can take several hours to prepare—this quick version takes a few shortcuts by using chili powder, nut butter and chocolate chips. Serve with rice and a medley of sautéed zucchini, pepper and onion.

Makes: 4 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Nutrition Profile

Low carbohydrate | High potassium | Gluten free |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines »

Ingredients

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon almond butter or natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (see Note)

Preparation

Season chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, chile powder, cumin, cinnamon and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt to the pan. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato sauce, broth, chocolate chips and almond (or peanut) butter; stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, return the chicken (and any accumulated juice) to the pan and turn to coat with the sauce. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Tips & Notes

Note: Look for toasted sesame seeds at the supermarket near other Asian ingredients. Or toast regular sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over low heat, stirring constantly, until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: 382 calories; 24 g fat ( 6 g sat , 11 g mono ); 94 mg cholesterol; 14 g carbohydrates; 6 g added sugars; 30 g protein; 3 g fiber; 634 mg sodium; 536 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Zinc (23% daily value), Iron (19% dv), Vitamin A (18% dv), Magnesium (17% dv), Potassium (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Exchanges: 1 carbohydrate (other), 4 lean meat, 3 fat

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