Peanut Butter Chicken Tortilla

2 pounds chicken thighs (skin on)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves
2 teaspoons whole coriander seed
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
2 medium onions, sliced thin
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
4 large dried Guajillo chilies (1.4 ounces)
2 large dried Ancho chilies (1.4 ounces)
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1¾ cups stewed tomatoes (380 g)
1 cup water
⅓ cupThe Heat Is On peanut butter
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
½ cup Peanut Butter & Co. Honey Roasted Peanuts, roughly chopped
12 corn tortillas

Procedure

1. Generously salt and pepper the chicken. Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium high heat until very hot. Add the oil and then place the chicken, skin side down into the pot. If the chicken doesn’t all fit in a single layer, split it between two batches. Fry the chicken until the skin is golden brown and it doesn’t stick to the pot anymore. Flip the chicken over and fry until the other side is browned, then transfer it to a plate.

2. Add the cloves, coriander and cumin seed to the pot and fry until the spices are fragrant (about 1 minute).

3. Add the onions, garlic and salt and turn down the heat to medium low. Let the onions and garlic sauté, stirring regularly until the onions are soft and turning brown.

Add the bay leaves, Mexican oregano, stewed tomatoes and water, and then stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Return the chicken to the pot, and then cover with a tight fitting lid. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is extremely tender and falls apart when prodded with a fork. Because stoves and pots vary in the way they cook, you may need to add some water part of the way through cooking. Just check it periodically to make sure it’s not burning. If the liquid is getting low, you can add some more water.

6. Remove the chicken from the pot let it get cool enough to handle. Use a fork to shred the chicken meat (you can discard the skins at this point or leave them in if you like). Skim off any excess oil from the braising liquid, then put the braising liquid into a food processor or blender along with the peanut butter. Puree the sauce. If you’re using a blender, start it off at low speed, as the sudden escape of steam could cause the lid to blow off, flinging hot chili sauce all over your kitchen.

7. Strain the sauce through a mesh sieve to remove bits of chili skin. You’ll need to press it through with a silicone spatula. You’ll have about double the amount of sauce you need, so put half of it in a container and refrigerate. It’s great on grilled chicken or as a condiment.

8. Add the shredded chicken to the remaining sauce and stir to combine. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

9. Serve the chicken with warmed up corn tortillas, chopped peanuts and cilantro.