Chicken Mole for Crock Pot

Okay there are a number of recipes for mole on this site already. Can it stand another? I hope so. This is an adaption of a recipe that I found in my newest cookbook, The Gourmet Slow Cooker. Making the sauce does take some time but it can be made ahead then warmed before adding to the crock pot with the chicken. Don't let the ingredients list scare you. Break this down into steps and it is well worth the effort.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup  blanched almond
• 1  cinnamon stick, broken into pieces (2 to 3 inch)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  coriander seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon anise seed
• 1⁄4 cup sesame seeds
• 4  whole cloves
• 4  dried pasilla peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 6  dried New Mexico chiles or 6  dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 -2  guajillo chilies, stemmed and seeded
• 3 -4  cups  chicken stock
• 2  medium roma tomatoes
• 3  ounces  mexican chocolate or 1⁄3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  sweet white onion, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup raisins
•  salt
• 2  chicken, cut into serving pieces skinned (Use only the thighs, breasts and legs)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the almonds, cinnamon stick, coriander, aniseed, sesame seed and cloves on a baking sheet.
3. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned; remove and set aside.
4. Place chiles on another baking sheet and toast at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; check and stir as needed to prevent burning.
5. Remove the chiles from the oven and allow to cool.
6. When cool, break chiles lightly, and place in in a large glass bowl.
7. Pour 2 cups of hot chicken stock over the chiles and allow to sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Preheat broiler and place the 2 tomatoes on a cookie sheet and broil for 5 to 7 minutes or until skin cracks and blisters lightly, turning about every 2 minutes.
9. Remove tomatoes from oven and set aside to cool before removing the skin and chopping.
10. Pour the chiles and stock into a blender and puree in batches until smooth.
11. Add the toasted almonds and spices, peeled and chopped tomato, chocolate, garlic, onion, raisins and salt to taste.
12. Blend until smooth, adding remaining stock as needed to make sauce proper consistency.
13. The sauce should be just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
14. Strain the sauce through a medium-meshed sieve to remove seeds and pieces of chile.
15. Arrange the chicken pieces in the crock pot and pour sauce over.
16. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or 6 to 8 hours.
17. At 3 to 4 hours the chicken will be firm and retain its shape.
18. At 6 to 8 hours, the meat will be falling off the bone.
19. Transfer to dinner plates and serve immediately with rice, salad and crusty bread.
20. Please Note: The back, neck and chicken wings can be used to make chicken stock.