Taqueria Gordita Chicken Mole Tacos With Barham Family Farm Whole Chicken

Chicken:

1 Barham Family Farm large whole chicken

1 gallon cold water

Place chicken in a large stockpot, cover with water and cook on low heat -- you want to keep your water simmering to gently cook the stock, NOT boiling -- 2 hours and falling off the bones.

Remove chicken and set aside meat to cool on a sheet tray. Strain the stock to remove any remaining chicken bits.

Reserve 1 quart chicken stock for sauce. Stock can be stored in fridge for up to 1 week.

Once cooled, carefully pick chicken from bones and shred. Set meat aside for tacos.

Mole Sauce:

4 dried pasilla chiles, stems removed

2 cup hot water

¼ cup pepitas

½ cup unsalted peanuts

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

½ teaspoon freshly toasted and ground anise

½ teaspoon freshly toasted and ground clove

1 ½ tablespoons freshly toasted and ground cinnamon

1 white onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, sliced

2 tablespoons canola oil, or other neutral oil

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, stemmed

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon kosher salt

6 dried prunes

1 quart chicken stock

2 tabs Abuelitas Chocolate, broken into quarters

In a small container with a lid, hydrate dried chiles in hot water for15 minutes until chiles are soft. Reserve chile water for cooking.

In a dry skillet, toast pepitas until they just begin to smell fragrant. Remove from pan and allow to cool. Repeat procedure with peanuts and sesame seeds. In the same skillet, toast anise, cloves, cinnamon until fragrant, making sure they don't burn.Allow spices cool completely and grind spices individually and measure out the amounts stated in the recipe.

In the same skillet, cook onion and garlic slices in canola oil, stirring frequently, until caramelized to a light brown.

In a blender, combine drained chiles, caramelized onion and garlic, pepitas and peanuts, sesame seeds, spices, oregano, tomato paste, salt, prunes and chicken stock; mix in the blender until thoroughly until combined. Add chocolate tabs and grind until incorporated.

Place blended sauce and reserved chile water in a sauce pan over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. This will allow the sauce to darken as it cooks for the characteristic dark brown coloring.

Once the sauce is cooked, serve over shredded chicken tacos or cool mole and store for later use.

TACO ASSEMBLY:

32 (4-inch) Yoli Tortilleria Red Corn Tortillas

For garnish, Microgreens KC, chopped white onion, cilantro and lime wedges

Heat skillet or flat pan to medium heat, toast corn tortillas for 10 seconds on both sides until warm. Place 2 tortillas on a plate. Place a handful of warm shredded Barham Family Farm Chicken into the tortillas, drizzle (or drown!) with Mole Sauce. Garnish with onion, cilantro, and lime wedges (squeeze the lime over the tacos for an extra POP of flavor). Repeat for each taco AND ENJOY!