Roast whole chicken on a tray with rice and lime wedges on the side

Roast chicken with chocolate mole

Name: Roast chicken with chocolate mole
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1.5kg whole chicken; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground; 1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; ground to make 1 tsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp sea salt flakes; rice, to serve; coriander, to serve; lime wedges, to serve; 2 dried ancho chillies; 2 dried chipotle chillies; 2 dried guajillo chillies; 1 onion, chopped; 6 cloves garlic; 1-2 jalapeño chillies, deseeded and chopped; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tbsp instant espresso powder; 2 tbsp peanut butter; 400ml chicken stock; 50g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Preparation and cooking time
- Total time1 hr and 30 mins
- + Marinating
Easy
Serves 4

Ingredients

1.5kg whole chicken
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 tbsp coriander seeds, toasted and ground
½ tsp ground cinnamon
ground to make 1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp sea salt flakes
rice, to serve
coriander, to serve
lime wedges, to serve

MOLE

2 dried ancho chillies
2 dried chipotle chillies
2 dried guajillo chillies
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1-2 jalapeño chillies, deseeded and chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp instant espresso powder
2 tbsp peanut butter
400ml chicken stock
50g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Method

STEP 1
About 6 hours before you want to make this recipe, spatchcock the chicken by using a sharp pair of scissors to cut down either side of the backbone. Turn it over so it is breast-side up, and press to flatten slightly. Pour over the olive oil and rub to evenly coat both sides. Mix together the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper and salt. Sprinkle and rub all over the chicken on both sides, then put into a bowl and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
STEP 2
To make the mole, put all of the dried chillies into a heatproof bowl and pour over just-boiled water from the kettle. Leave to soak for 15 minutes, then drain, remove the stalks and seeds, and discard these. Tip the chillies into a blender with the onion, garlic, jalapeños, tomatoes, oregano, espresso powder, peanut butter, stock and some seasoning, and whizz to a purée. Stir the chocolate into the sauce.
STEP 3
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Pour the mole into a large baking tray (approximately 22cm x 35cm) and nestle the chicken on top, scraping any marinade over the chicken. Roast for 55 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and crisp, then cover the whole tray with foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes. Bring the baking tray to the table, scatter with coriander leaves and serve with rice and lime wedges on the side.