CHICKEN WITH PEANUT SALSA (Pollo en Salsa de Cacahuate)

by http://www.weareneverfull.com/pollo-en-salsa-de-cacahuate-chicken-with-peanut-salsa/#sthash.93nQOkiJ.f3DBfheM.dpbs

http://www.weareneverfull.com/pollo-en-salsa-de-cacahuate-chicken-with-peanut-salsa/#sthash.93nQOkiJ.f3DBfheM.dpbs

(serves 4)

• 2 to 3 lbs. of chicken pieces with skin
• 1 to 1 1/2 cup unsalted raw peanuts, lightly roasted till brown
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 dried pasilla (or guajillo) chiles, rehydrated and chopped up
• 3 chipotles in adobo + some of the adobo (if you don’t like it spicy, start with 1 or 2 and decide if you want to add more)
• 2-4 cloves of garlic (depending on how much you like garlic),whole
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground clove
• squeeze of lime
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• hot chicken stock
• some oil
• blender

1. Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper and saute in a bit of oil until brown all over.  When skin has taken on color and is a bit crispy, remove to a plate.
2. In a separate  dry pan, brown peanuts – this doesn’t take long – about 30 seconds if that. Don’t burn them! Take off heat and keep on the side.
3. Add a bit more oil if necessary and throw in your garlic, onions and rehydrated pasilla and saute until they take on some color and the onions soften.
4. In a blender, first add the onion,  garlic and pasilla mixture and blend with a bit of warm chicken stock.  Try to puree it as best as possible.   Add the chipotles along with a tablespoon of adobo and blend.  Add the peanuts to the blender along with another bit of chicken stock and puree until smooth.  You do not want the texture of the sauce to be like peanut butter, you want it smooth with some liquid in it. Add the cinnamon, clove and some fresh ground pepper.  Blend.  Taste  the sauce for extra seasoning. Does it need more salt or pepper? Do you like it spicier?  Add more adobo or whole chipotles if you do.  Add a bit more chicken stock so it is not too thick.
5. When sauce is as you like it, bring it back to the pan you cooked the chicken in and add some along with a bit more chicken stock. With a spoon, pick up all the goodness that collected at the bottom of the pan and stir. Add the chicken to the pan, add a bit more sauce along with a bit more stock and allow chicken to simmer for another fifteen to twenty minutes.  Add a squeeze of lime juice to the sauce.  Serve with some rice and enjoy.