Ingredients
2 dried ancho chiles1-1/2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed, halved2 medium onions, sliced, divided1 serrano pepper, halved and seeded3 garlic cloves, peeled3 pounds bone-in chicken breast halves, skin removed1 tablespoon canola oil2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder1 teaspoon pepper1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon2 whole cloves1/2 cup almonds1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped1 tablespoon lime juice1 teaspoon salt1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
Preparation
Place chiles in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water; let stand for 20 minutes. Drain. Remove stems and seeds. Coarsely chop; set aside. Place the tomatillos, 1 onion, serrano pepper and garlic in a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until tender, stirring once.
In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil. Transfer to a 4-qt. slow cooker. In the same skillet, saute remaining onion until tender. Add 1 teaspoon cumin, chili powder, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and hydrated chiles; cook 1 minute longer. Discard cloves.
Place almonds in a food processor; cover and process until ground. Add spiced onion mixture and chocolate; cover and process until blended. Transfer to a small bowl.
Place the tomatillo mixture, lime juice, salt and remaining cumin in food processor; cover and process until chopped. Stir into almond mixture. Pour over chicken. Cook, covered, on low until chicken is tender, 4-5 hours. Sprinkle each serving with cheese and cilantro.
