Ingredients:
• 1 whole chicken, cut into eight pieces
• *6 C chicken stock
• 5 chilhuacle negro chiles, or substitute ancho chiles**, seeded, stemmed
• 5 guajillo chiles, or substitute dried New Mex. chiles, seeded, stemmed
• 4 pasilla chiles, seeded, stemmed
• 4 mulatto chiles, or use ancho, seeded, stemmed
• 2 chipotle chiles, seeded, stemmed
• 1 medium white onion, cut in quarters
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbs whole almonds
• 2 Tbs shelled, skinned peanuts
• 2-4 Tbs lard*** (or use vegetable oil if you must)
• 2 tsp raisins
• 1 slice bread (prefer Challa or egg bread)
• 1 small ripe plantain, or use a small banana
• 1/2 C sesame seeds
• 2 pecan halves
• 1" Mexican cinnamon stick
• 2 whole peppercorns
• 2 whole cloves
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 5 fresh tomatillos, chopped
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bar, or to taste of Ibarra chocolate, or other Mexican chocolate
• 1 avocado leaf, omit or use bay leaf
• salt to taste
• fresh tortillas

Procedure:
1. Simmer the chicken in the stock until tender, about 30 min. Remove, keep warm and reserve stock
2. Toast the chiles, or fry them in lard, until just darkened -- don't let them burn. Place in bowl, cover with hot water until soft, about 30 min.
3. Puree chiles in blender, adding the soaking water if needed to form a paste.
4. Roast the garlic and onion in the same pan until slightly brown, then remove.
5. Toast the almonds and peanuts slightly, remove.
6. Toast the chile seeds until dark but don't let burn.
7. Heat 2 Tbs lard in skillet and fry raisins until plump, remove and drain.
8. Fry bread until brown, remove.
9. Fry plantains until brown, remove.
10. Add more lard if needed, and fry sesame seeds at low heat until slightly brown, stirring often.
11. Add pecans, brown and remove and drain.
12. Toast the cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves lightly in a dry pan. Let cool, and grind in a molcajete or grinder.
13. In a blender or processor puree nuts, sesame seeds, bread and pecans; use small batches if needed.
14. Add onions, garlic, plantains and puree. Remove, then puree tomatoes and tomatillos.
15. Heat the remaining lard in a large heavy pot and fry the chile paste until dry, but don't let it burn.
16. Add tomato puree and fry until liquid is gone.
17. Add ground spices, nut/bread mixture, pureed onion mixture, oregano and thyme.
18. Heat to a simmer while stirring constantly, add chocolate.
19. Toast the avocado leaf over open flame briefly, then add to mixture.
20. Slowly add reserved chicken stock to mixture until mixture will just coat a spoon.
21. Salt to taste.
22. Simmer for 5 min, then add chicken and heat thru.
23. Serve with tortillas and spoon over with the sauce!

(*Note 1: This is your basic chicken stock with onions, garlic, carrots celery, bay leaf and thyme, plus 1 allspice berry, 1 clove and 1 whole chile de arbol.)

(**Note 2: For all chiles, save the seeds. Substituted chiles are more readily available in the US.)

(***Note 3: Lard is essential for the best flavor. Turkey is traditional, a small amount of beef and pork are also used to enhance flavor.)