Grilled Chicken with Pumpkin Mole

• PREP TIME
  10 min - 15 min
• COOK TIME
  30 min
• TOTAL TIME
  45 min
• SERVES
  4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless and halved
• 2 ¼ tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 3 tbsp. whipping cream
• 2 oz. Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped
• ½ cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
• 2 canned chipotle chilies
• 1 dried ancho chili, seeded, stemmed, torn into chunks
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1 small white onion
• 1 slice white bread
• 1 tsp. dark brown sugar
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh cilantro sprigs, optional

Instructions

1. To make mole sauce, in a large pot over medium heat add ancho chili and toast 2 minutes while pressing pieces down with a fork until color is lighter around the edges. Remove toasted chili pieces and place in a bowl covered with hot water to soak about 30 minutes or until soft.
2. In same large pot, heat ¾ tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Then add in garlic clove and onion, cut and separated into rings. Sauté until brown. Once browned, transfer garlic and onion rings to processor.
3. Place bread slice in pot and cook until golden on both sides, and then add to processor with canned diced tomatoes. Puree mixture until smooth and then transfer to a bowl.
4. Add drained ancho chili pieces to processor with ¼ cup chicken broth and 1 chipotle chili. Puree mixture until smooth.
5. In same pot, heat ½ tbsp. vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add ancho chili mixture to pot and cook until puree thickens and becomes darker in color, about 2 minutes. Then add in the tomato mixture, stirring often until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.
6. Whisk in canned pumpkin and remaining chicken broth, then bring to a boil and whisk in chocolate. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until mole thickens and reduces, about 30 minutes.
7. Whisk in whipping cream and dark brown sugar, plus salt to taste, and mole is complete. Hint - this mole can be made ahead and refrigerated.
8. To make glaze for chicken, add remaining vegetable oil and chipotle chili to processor and puree until smooth. Brush a thin layer of glaze over chicken breasts on both sides and season with salt.
9. Place chicken on medium-high grill and cook through.
10. To serve, add desired amount of mole sauce over chicken and garnish with cilantro sprigs. Enjoy!