Put the dried
chilies in a bowl and cover with hot water. Leave to stand for about 30
minutes until very soft. Drain, reserving the soaking water in a
measuring jug. Cut off the stalk of each chili, then slit them in half
lengthways and scrape out the seeds with a small, sharp knife.
Preheat the
oven to 350F, Gas 4. Chop the flesh of the chilies roughly and put it in
a food processor or blender. Add enough chicken stock to the soaking
water to make it up to 400ml cups. Pour it into the processor or blender
and process at maximum power until smooth.
Heat the oil
in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook over a moderate heat for
about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not colored.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion slices to a casserole large
enough to hold all the chicken breasts in a single layer. Arrange the
chicken breasts on top and season with salt and freshly ground black
pepper.
If you are a
lover of chipotle chilies, you may wish to use more than six. It is
important to seek out chipotle chilies for this recipe, as they impart a
wonderfully rich and smoky flavor to the chicken breasts.
