The Super Chocolate Vegan Hootenanny! Episode II : Vegan Chicken in Mole Sauce

So we debated having a Best of 2010 Meet The Shannons post over the weekend, but they can always be found listed in the right hand side... and if we did that now, what would we do to celebrate our 1 year anniversary? Then, we debated publicly listing our resolutions so that you would all know our bad habits... but instead, we spent our nerdtastic New Years playing Heroes V in our living room, drinking fancy beer from Sri Lanka, and eating chocolate... and actually feeling pretty good about keeping most of the resolutions we made last year: buying organic, fair trade and locally grown whenever possible, being better about bringing reusable shopping bags, and being awesome.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. Chicken in chocolate sauce sounds about as enjoyable as a real egg omelet full of skittles and tootsie rolls. But Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce that can differ greatly from region to region, and it does have dark chocolate powder in it--but the flavor is more like coffee than the sweet Easter-basket stuff. Really, in this version the cumin is the real star--especially once you squeeze the lime over the top.

Vamos a comer!

Vegan Chicken in Mole Sauce (this makes enough sauce for 4 servings - see below for mock meat tip)

• 1 Cup Brown Rice (cooked)
• 1-2 Packages Gardein Chicken Breasts, Match Vegan Meats made into 4-8 small thin patties the size of your palm (or your favorite vegan chicken)
  
• 1 Clove Garlic (minced)
• 1/2 Red Onion (diced)
• 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds
• 1/4 Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 Teaspoon Braggs
• 1 Teaspoon Olive Oil
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes with Jalapeno Peppers (Mexican Flavored)
• 1/2 Cup White Wine or Vegetable Broth
• 2 1/2 Teaspoons Cocoa Powder
• 1/4-1/2 Teaspoon Sriracha Sauce or whatever your favorite Hot Sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Fresh Cilantro (diced)
• Toasted Pumpkin Seeds and Chopped Fresh Cilantro to sprinkle over the top
• Lime Wedges to squeeze over the to
• Olive Oil Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 250.

Pull out your favorite cast iron skillet for this very special occasion. Spray it down with Olive Oil Cooking Spray and heat your skillet on a medium heat. Gently place your Vegan Chicken in the skillet when the Oil is hot. Flip a few times and when you begin to see the edges brown on your Vegan Chicken, toss the Garlic, Onion, Sesame Seeds and Braggs into the skillet with your Vegan Chicken. Let cook - flipping your Vegan Chicken and stirring your Red Onions a few times - until the Red Onions are tender. Mix in Cayenne Pepper, 1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin and Cinnamon

Put your Vegan Chicken in a glass casserole dish and out them in the oven to keep warm while you make your sauce.

In the same skillet, add Diced Tomatoes, White Wine, 1/2 Teaspoon of Cumin, Olive Oil, Cocoa Powder, Hot Sauce and Cilantro to the cooked Red Onion Mix. Stir your sauce to make sure your Cocoa Powder doesn't clump. Then place your Vegan Chicken in the Sauce and then gently mix.

Serve over Brown Rice with Cilantro and Pumpkin Seeds over the top and with Lime Wedges.