Name: The Date-Night Chicken I Make Again and Again
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 dried ancho chiles; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped; 1 teaspoon salt, divided; 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped; 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, divided; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 1 tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/4 cup almond butter; 8 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; Cooked white rice and/or warmed corn tortilla, for serving, optional

1 Working with one ancho at a time, use a paring knife to cut a slit all the way down one side of the chile. Open the chile like a book and remove the stem and seeds. Tear the chiles into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

2 In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened and beginning to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the chocolate, 2 tablespoons of the sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and the torn ancho chiles, and cook, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chipotles in adobo and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3 Slowly pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot well to loosen any browned bits. Stir in the tomatoes, raisins, and almond butter. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and opaque, about 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth, about 20 seconds, venting the lid to allow steam to escape. Return the blended sauce to the pot, off the heat.

4 Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken in the sauce in a single layer, turning to coat it evenly. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook gently until the chicken registers 170°F, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot every 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with rice and/or tortillas, sprinkled with the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in the sauce in a saucepan until heated through. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!