Worth it.

This came from the Mexico section of my shiny new cookbook. After crocking this week, I think I need a vacation. I vote Mexico. They can do all of the cooking and I'll just sit there and eat it. Who's with me?

"Chicken in Peanut and Chile Sauce" (6 quart pot)

~2 ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
~3 c chicken stock
~8 black peppercorns
~6 allspice berries
~1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
~6 whole cloves
~1 (14 1/2 oz) can crushed tomatoes *or 2 large tomatoes that you're supposed to peel, dice, and broil. (NOT happening.)
~3 T vegetable oil
~1/2 white onion, sliced
~2 garlic cloves, chopped (From the CSA.)
~1 1/4 c unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
~1 slice stale french bread, torn into pieces
~2 canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
~2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Again, it called for an entire chicken, skinned and cut into pieces. NOT happening.)
~2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Tear ancho chilies into pieces and place in a small bowl.
Add 1 c stock and soak for 30 minutes.
Combine peppercorns, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves and grind to a fine powder. (I used a coffee grinder.)
Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add oil.
Add onion and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes or until browned.
Transfer tomatoes and onion mixture to a blender.
Add ancho chilies, their stock, the spice mixture, the remaining 2 c stock, peanuts, bread, and chipotle chilies to blender.
Purée until smooth.
Place chicken in crock pot.
Add sauce and toss well.
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Serve immediately.

I served it with rice and the last of the Brussel's sprouts from the CSA.

4-6 servings.

When I sat down to eat, I said something along the lines of, "For all of the work I put into making this, it better be good.". It was! This was really, really, REALLY good.  Really good. It's surprisingly not as spicy as you'd think and the flavor is just awesomesauce. I was half tempted to lick the stoneware clean.