Ancho Chiles with Chicken
Ancho (Ahn-cho) Chile (Capsicum Annum) means Wide Chile Pepper. This chile ranges from 3 – 4 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. An Ancho is the dried form of a Poblano Pepper and often is mislabeled as a Pasilla or Mulato Pepper. Anchos have sweet fruity flavor with hints of cherry, prune, and fig. Anchos, combined with the Pasilla and Guajillo, form the Holy Trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces. Scoville heat units are 1,000 to 3,000.
Suggested Use:
Anchos are great in salsa, soups, enchilada and any sauce needing mild heat and chile flavor. Chopped, pureed or ground, they can be added directly to your recipes.
Ingredients:
6-8 large ancho chiles
2 whole chickens, cooked, skinned, boned and diced
1/2 oz. golden raisins
1/2 oz. chopped dried apricots
1/2 oz. chopped dried apples
1/4 pound tomatoes, diced
1/4 pound Jack cheese, shredded
1 tsp. chopped serrano chile
1-1/2 tsp. garlic
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
salt to taste
Instructions:
Steam the ancho chiles for 1 minute. Make a lengthwise slit into each and remove the seeds and membranes. Mix the diced chicken, dried fruits, tomatoes, cheese, chiles, garlic, lime juice, and spices in a bowl and blend well.
Stuff each ancho chile with some of the chicken mixture. On a plate, cover half with pig sauce and the other half with tomatillo sauce, forming a “ying/yang”. Place a chile in middle and top with a dab of nogada sauce.
Recipe from Chile Pepper Magazine.