Best Traditional Red Mole Chicken With Saffron Rice Recipes

SPANISH-STYLE CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON RICE (ARROZ CON POLLO)

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet (at least 2 inches deep) over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken on all sides, about 12 minutes total. Transfer chicken with tongs to a plate.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet and add onion, bell pepper, and salt to taste. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 7 minutes. Add garlic, paprika, and rice, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine and boil, uncovered, 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, saffron, and bay leaf. Nestle chicken in rice, adding any juices from plate.
• Cook, covered, over low heat until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and most of liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in peas, olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover skillet and let stand 10 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a casserole. When foaming subsides, add rice and saute for about 5 minutes stirring constantly until rice is toasty. In last 30 seconds add whole cinnamon stick and cloves and saute until they release their aroma. Add sugar and saute for a few seconds, add water, saffron and salt reduce heat to low. Cook covered for 15 minutes or until rice is just tender. Serve with pork and garnish with sliced almonds.

SIMPLE RED MOLE ENCHILADAS WITH SHREDDED CHICKEN

Steps:

• From Ancho seasoning to mole: In a medium-size (4-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela), heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil or lard over medium. Add the almonds and cook, stirring regularly, until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the almonds to a blender or food processor. Add half of the onion to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until richly browned, about 10 minutes. Use the slotted spoon to scoop the onions in with the almonds, leaving behind as much oil as possible. (If needed, add a little more oil or lard to the pan, let heat, then continue.) Add the raisins, stir for a minute as they puff, then use the slotted spoon to scoop them in with the almonds.
• Roast the tomatoes on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler until blackened on one side, about 6 minutes, then flip them over and roast the other side. Cool, peel and add to the almond mixture in the blender, along with the cinnamon, chocolate and bread. Add 1 cup of the broth and blend to a smooth puree, scraping and stirring every few seconds.Return the pot to medium-high heat and, if necessary, add a little more oil or lard to coat the bottom lightly. When very hot, add the Ancho mixture and cook, stirring almost constantly, until darker and very thick, about 5 minutes. Add the pureed almond mixture and cook, stirring constantly for another few minutes, until very thick once again. Stir in the remaining 4 1/3 cups of the broth, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-low for 45 minutes. Taste and season with salt and sugar. (If you have never made mole before, season it until it's slightly sweet--the sugar balances the strong flavors.)
• Warming the tortillas: Set up a steamer (with this many tortillas, you'll need 2 vegetable steamers set up in saucepans or a big Chinese steamer--either choice with 1/2-inch of water under the steamer basket); heat to a boil. Wrap the tortillas in 2 stacks in heavy kitchen towels, lay in the steamer, and cover tightly. Boil 1 minute, turn off the heat and let stand without opening the steamer for 15 minutes.
• Finishing the enchiladas: Turn on the oven to the lowest setting and warm 6 to 9 plates in it. Toast the sesame seeds in a small skillet, stirring frequently, over medium heat until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. In a medium-size saucepan, combine the chicken with 1 1/2 cups of the mole and warm over medium heat. Bring the remaining mole to a simmer.
• When you're ready to serve, quickly make the enchiladas by scooping 2 generous tablespoons of chicken onto a tortilla, rolling it up and placing it on a warm dinner plate. Continue making enchiladas, arranging 2 or 3 per plate, then douse them liberally with the hot mole. Strew with the remaining sliced onion and sesame seeds.

QUICK AND EASY SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan (that has a lid).
• Add the onion and garlic and cook until just soft.
• Add in the rice and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the broth, saffron, and parsley.
• Cover and reduce the heat to low.
• Cook for 15-18 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed.
• Fluff with a fork before serving.

SAFFRON RICE WITH CHICKEN & PEPPERS

Steps:

• Put the saffron in a small bowl and pour over the warm water. Bruise the strands with the back of a teaspoon to fix the colour, and set aside while you prepare the rest.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, weighty casserole, and when hot tip in the chicken. Stir fry for a minute or two over a high heat to seal in the juices, then set aside.
• Strip the leaves from the thyme sprigs and scatter into the pan along with the onions and garlic. Fry until golden then pour in the lime juice. Turn the heat down a tad, add the pepper and continue cooking for another 5 minutes before adding the wine, stock and seasoning. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer for 6 minutes until the meat is tender and the liquid has cooked down a little.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice in a pan of fast boiling water until tender, but with a slight bite. Drain in a colander and rinse with warm water. Heap over the chicken while still on the heat. Drizzle with the saffron and its soaking liquid, and scatter over the peas. Don't stir the chicken and rice at this stage, but cover and cook over a low-moderate heat until the rice is fluffy and the liquid reduced to a few tablespoons - about 3 minutes. Before serving, gently mix the saffron-streaked rice with the chicken and pepper mixture.

CHICKEN MOLE WITH CORIANDER RICE

Steps:

• Put the chillies in a bowl and add enough boiling water to just cover. Leave to soften for 20 mins. If you can't find anchos, grill red peppers until they're really blackened and soft. Cool them, then peel and use as needed in the recipe, adding 1 tsp smoked paprika and a little extra chipotle to re-create the sweet, smoky flavour.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish, season the chicken, then brown on all sides. You may have to do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the dish. Remove to a plate. Add the onions to the dish and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the spices and cook for 1 min until aromatic.
• Remove the chillies from their soaking liquid, reserving the liquid, and discard the stalks and seeds. Put in a food processor with 4 tbsp of the soaking liquid, the garlic and raisins. Whizz to a paste, then tip into the dish. Add the peanut butter, chipotle paste, tomatoes and 400ml water (fill up the tomato can and swirl to get all the tomato bits out). Return the chicken to the dish and season. Cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hr.
• Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Using 2 forks, shred the meat and discard the bones. Return the chicken to the sauce, add the chocolate and continue cooking, uncovered, for 30 mins more. If the sauce looks like it's getting a little too thick, add some of the chilli soaking liquid or some water.
• Cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, put the red onion in a small bowl. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Leave to pickle until ready to serve. When the rice is cooked, add the coriander and lime zest and juice, and fluff up with a fork. Remove the mole from the heat, scatter with the pickled red onion and serve alongside the rice, with soured cream and lime wedges, if you like.

CHICKEN WITH SAFFRON RICE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper. In Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil.
• Brown chicken in batches, 7-8 minutes per batch.
• Transfer to plate. Discard fat; wipe out pot.
• In same pot over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil.
• Cook onion, bell pepper, saffron and red pepper flakes abut 10 minutes.
• Add garlic; cook 30 seconds.
• Add sherry; cook 1 minute. Add chicken, broth tomatoes and juices. Bring to simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook 20 minutes.
• Add rice, olives, 1 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to simmer. Cover, bake in oven 30 minutes; stirring once halfway through.
• Let stand 10 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley.