Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and cook the onion, stirring until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes.

Add the chicken pieces, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, tomato, and chicken broth.

Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the chicken is very tender, about 25 minutes.

Cut the chiles into 1-inch pieces and add to the stew.

Season with salt and pepper.

Cook 8 to 10 minutes to blend the flavors.

Cook all the chicken pieces in the chicken broth in a large pot until cooked through and tender.

Cook the breasts 20 minutes; then remove them to a bowl and cover, to prevent overcooking.

Remove the thighs about 10 minutes later (or 30 minutes total), and put them in the bowl with the chicken breasts.

Keep the broth warm over low heat until added to the sauce.

In a medium skillet, toast the anchos until aromatic and slightly blistered.

Do not burn.

Put the anchos in a medium bowl and cover with hot water.

Soak about 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325°.

In the same skillet used for toasting the anchos, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

Add the tomatoes, tortillas, bread, plantain, cloves, and canela.

Cook, stirring, frequently, until the tomatoes soften and the skins blister and char lightly.

Transfer the skillet ingredients to a blender.

Add 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth, the soaked anchos, and the chipotles.

Blend until very smooth.

Transfer the blended sauce to a large heavy ovenproof pan or casserole dish.

Cook, stirring, until the sauce comes to a boil, about 3 minutes.

Add the piloncillo and 1 cup of the reserved broth.

Cook, stirring, over low heat, until the sugar melts, about 5 minutes.

The sauce should have the consistency of heavy cream.

If too thick, add additional hot broth.

Add salt.

Add the cooked pieces of chicken to the pan, and transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside, and the sauce is simmering, about 20 to 25 minutes.

In a glass pitcher, mix guava juice, limeade, and rum.

Fill 4 (8-ounce) glasses halfway with ice cubes, and pour punch over the ice.

Garnish each glass with a sprig of mint, and add a slice of lime on the edge of the glass.

If desired, add 2 straws to each glass.

Serve at once

Cut each chicken breast crosswise into 3 pieces and put in a large saucepan.

Add the broth, and cook, covered, over medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes.

Let the chicken cool in the broth.

Meanwhile, toast the chiles; then soak them in hot tap water 25 minutes.

Toast the sesame seeds.

Drain the chiles and discard the water.

Put the chiles, sesame seeds, prunes, orange juice, crushed pepper, and allspice in a blender.

Reserve.

In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat and fry the onion, garlic, tortilla, and oregano, stirring, until they start to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer onion mixture to the blender.

Add the wine and 1½ cups of the chicken broth from cooking the chicken.

Blend as smoothly as possible, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to extract the soft pulp and juice.

Discard the debris.

In a large saucepan, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat until it shimmers.

Gently add the chile mixture (to minimize splattering).

Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

(If the sauce is too thick, add hot chicken broth to reach the desired consistency.

) Add the chocolate.

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring frequently, until the chocolate melts and the flavors blend, about 15 minutes.

Add the chicken.

Bring to a simmer and cook 3 to 4 minutes.

Prepare the yellow mole.

Reserve off heat in the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes 5 minutes.

Drain and return to the pan.

Add 2 teaspoons oil and toss to coat.

Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof baking dish and roast, uncovered, until tender and lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the remaining oil, lime juice, and garlic.

Rub all over the chicken breasts and let stand about 15 minutes.

In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the green beans and yellow pepper until crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

Drain.

Transfer to an ovenproof bowl and set aside.

When the potatoes are tender, turn the oven temperature down to 200° and put the green beans and pepper in the oven to keep warm while cooking the chicken.

Reheat the sauce over low heat.

Heat a stove top grill pan or large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the chicken about 4 to 5 minutes per side or until golden brown on the outside, firm to the touch, and no longer pink inside at the thickest part.

Add salt.

To serve, place 1 chicken breast on each of 4 plates.

Arrange the potatoes and vegetables equally on each plate.

Spoon some of the heated sauce over each chicken breast.

Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired.

Pass the remaining sauce at the table.

Prepare the beans and reserve.

Put the chicken into a large saucepan.

Add the broth, 1 cup of water, half of the onion, half of the garlic, the carrot, and the crushed red pepper.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken, covered, until tender, 30 to 35 minutes.

Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl and cover to keep moist.

Pour the cooked broth through a strainer into a bowl and reserve for the sauce.

Discard the debris.

In a blender or food processor, blend the tomatillos, jalapeños, cumin, allspice, cloves, the remaining half of the onion, and the remaining garlic.

Add 1 cup of the chicken broth, and blend until smooth.

In a large saucepan, heat the oil until it shimmers.

Slowly pour in the tomatillo mixture (so it won’t splatter), and cook, stirring frequently, 5 minutes.

In the same blender jar, blend the parsley, epazote, hoja santa, masa, salt, pepper, and sugar with ½ cup of the cooked chicken broth.

Purée the mixture until smooth, and pour into the pan with the sauce.

Cook over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, 20 minutes.

Add the cooked chicken and the white beans.

Simmer, partially covered, 10 to 15 minutes to heat through and blend flavors.

Adjust seasoning.

Prepare the mole poblano at least one day ahead.

Cover and refrigerate.

About 1 hour before serving, bring the sauce to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line a baking sheet with foil.

Trim all excess fat and skin from the chicken.

Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat about 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Cook the chicken, in batches, about 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned on the outside, but not cooked through.

As each browns, put it on the baking sheet in a single layer.

When all the chicken is done, cover the baking sheet with foil and bake until the chicken is tender and cooked completely through, about 35 to 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring, until aromatic and just starting to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reserve.

About 20 minutes before the chicken is done, bring the mole sauce to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until ready to serve.

If the sauce is too thick, thin with hot chicken broth to the consistency of gravy.

To assemble, put 1 chicken quarter on each of 4 dinner plates.

Pour the sauce equally over each serving, letting it pool onto the plate.

Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Prepare paste and juice and set aside.

Then, with the tip of a sharp knife, pierce the chicken pieces in 4 or 5 places.

Season with salt.

Put the chicken in a large bowl.

In another bowl, firmly mix the seasoning paste, orange juice, and half of the oil.

Pour the mixture over the chicken and turn the pieces over to coat.

Cover and refrigerate about 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Line a large baking pan or clay casserole dish with aluminum foil pieces that are long enough to fold back over the top of the pan.

Cut the banana leaves to line the pan, on top of the foil.

Put the chicken breasts in the pan on the banana leaves; then add the thighs and all of the marinade, overlapping the chicken pieces, if necessary.

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining oil and fry the onion until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes.

Put the onion, tomato and chiles on top of the chicken.

Fold the banana leaves completely over the chicken and then fold the foil over all, crimping the edges to make a tight seal.

Bake 1½ hours.

Remove the chicken from the banana leaves and serve hot with the sauce.

Put the guajillos in a small pan of hot water and bring to a boil.

Turn off the heat, cover, and soak 30 minutes.

Drain and rinse the chiles.

Put the chiles in a blender along with the cumin, cloves, garlic, vinegar, and salt.

Blend until smooth.

If too thick to blend, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time to free the blades.

Blend to a thick purée.

Pour the sauce through a strainer into a bowl, pressing with a wooden spoon to extract the pulp.

Discard the debris.

Put the chicken in a glass pie plate.

Spread the chile purée all over the chicken.

Cover, refrigerate, and marinate about 6 hours or overnight.

Prepare 4 (12-inch) squares of aluminum foil.

Put one piece of chicken and a little marinade on a piece of foil.

Put 1 bay leaf or epazote leaf on top.

Fold the foil to wrap the chicken and make a tight seal.

Repeat with the remaining chicken and pieces of foil.

Place the packages on a steamer rack.

Add water to the bottom of a 2- to 21⁄2-quart steamer pot and bring to a boil.

Cover and steam over simmering water 18 to 20 minutes.

To test for doneness, open one packet.

The chicken should be white in side at the thickest part.

If not, rewrap and cook a few more minutes.

If done, serve the packets to be opened at the table.

Prepare the black bean sauce.

Reserve in the pan off heat.

Preheat oven to 450°.

Trim excess fat from the chicken breasts.

Using a sharp knife, cut each breast lengthwise making a pocket for stuffing as large as possible without cutting through the edges on the other sides.

Set aside on a plate.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cheeses, onion, chile, oregano, and cilantro.

Fill each chicken breast pocket equally with the mixture.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Brush both sides with oil.

Heat a stovetop grill pan or large skillet over medium heat.

(If using a skillet, pour in about 1 tablespoon cooking oil.

Do not oil a grill pan.

) Cook the stuffed breasts until lightly browned on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Transfer the pan with the chicken to the oven and roast until the meat is white throughout, about 15 minutes.

To serve, reheat the sauce and spoon some of the sauce on each of 4 serving plates and top with a chicken breast.

Sprinkle each serving with cilantro.