Atápakua de Pollo con Hongos (Chicken Mole with Mushrooms)

This delicious mole, adapted from a recipe in Pati Jinich’s Treasures of the Mexican Table, comes from the indigenous Purépecha people of the Mexican state of Michoacán. The mole balances brightness of tomatillos with earthiness from guajillos and umami depth from mushrooms. Near the end of the cooking, masa dough is stirred in for body. Note: The recipe calls for wild or cultivated mushrooms. We tested it using criminis.

Serves 4 or 5.

Ingredients

3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

1/2 medium white onion, peeled and cut into quarters

1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed

3 garlic cloves, not peeled

1 to 2 serrano chiles

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves and upper stems, plus more leaves for garnish

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

3 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (about 10), or use a combination of thighs and legs

1 pound wild or cultivated mushrooms, or a combination, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup masa harina

2 cups chicken broth

Instructions

1. Place the guajillos in a small saucepan, cover with 3 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the chiles have softened. Remove from the heat, use tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the chiles and measure out 2 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid. Set the chiles and liquid aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the broiler, with the rack 2 to 3 inches from the heat source. Put the onion quarters, tomatillos, garlic cloves and serranos on a baking sheet lined with parchment and broil, turning the vegetables halfway through, until they are charred and the tomatillos are soft, 5 to 7 minutes for the serranos and garlic and 10 to 12 minutes for the onions and tomatillos. Remove the serranos and garlic when they are charred and softened and, when it is cool enough to handle, peel the garlic. Alternatively, you can roast the vegetables on a comal or large skillet over medium heat, turning them every 4 to 5 minutes, until charred. Remove from the heat.

3. Transfer the tomatillos, along with any juices, the onion, garlic and serranos to the jar of a blender. Add the guajillos, along with 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the mint, cilantro and 1 teaspoon of the salt and blend till smooth. Set aside.

4. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large deep skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the salt. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan, add the chicken, skin-side down, and brown until nicely colored, 4 or 5 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl as it is done.

5. Carefully pour out and set aside all but 2 or 3 tablespoons of the fat in the pan. Return it to the stove, set it on medium heat, add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook for another 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits sticking to the bottom of the pan as the mushrooms release their liquid. After about 3 minutes, the juices will have just about evaporated. Transfer to the bowl with the chicken.

6. Add 1 tablespoon of the fat saved from browning the chicken back into the pan and heat over medium heat. Pour in the guajillo sauce, using the lid to shield yourself from splatters. Stir, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens and darkens slightly, 7 or 8 minutes.

7. Meanwhile, combine the masa harina with 1/2 cup of water in a small bowl and stir together until you have a soft dough. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups guajillo cooking liquid and stir util the masa is completely dissolved and there are no lumps. Add the masa mixture to the guajillo sauce and stir or whisk until completely incorporated. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 1 minute, then stir in the chicken broth.

8. Add the chicken, mushrooms and all the juices from the bowl. Stir well, bring to a simmer over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Stir often and scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure the sauce and/or the chicken does not stick. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve garnished with mint and cilantro leaves.