Four-Chile Chicken Mole

Firstly, carefully de-seed and chop the chiles into small pieces. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the oils in the chiles. Heat the lard in a thick and heavy skillet over medium heat. Carefully add the chiles to the skillet and stir constantly until they release their fragrance, approximately 1 minute. Be cautious not to burn the chiles during this process. Remove the chiles from the skillet and place them in a large bowl.

Next, sauté the onion and garlic in the same skillet until they become soft and translucent, around 5 minutes. Remove the onion-garlic mixture from the skillet and add it to the bowl with the chiles.

Now, break the flour and corn tortillas into smaller pieces and add them to the skillet. Cook on both sides, turning frequently, until they turn golden brown, approximately 3 minutes. Remove the tortillas from the skillet and add them to the bowl.

If necessary, melt a small amount of additional lard in the skillet. Add the plantain pieces to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned, around 5 minutes. Remove the plantain from the skillet and add it to the bowl.

Add the almonds and peanuts to the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, approximately 1 minute. Sprinkle the sesame seeds into the skillet and continue cooking until they are lightly browned, 15-30 seconds. Remove the sesame seeds from the skillet and add them to the bowl.

Warm the tomatoes in the skillet over medium heat until they are heated through, approximately 5 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the heat. Break the chocolate into small pieces and stir it into the tomatoes until melted. Pour the chocolate-tomato mixture into the bowl with the chile mixture; stir to combine.

Now, puree the mixture in a blender until it becomes smooth. If needed, add a small amount of water to achieve the desired consistency. Working in batches, blend the mixture until it reaches your desired texture.

Place the chicken into a large Dutch oven. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cover it with a lid. Simmer the mixture over medium-low heat until the chicken falls off the bone, 2-3 hours.