Step 1

Bring the tomatoes, dried ancho chile, dried guajillo chile, dried pasilla chile, and dried árbol chiles to a boil in the 3 cups of water. Cover and reduce heat to low; let simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until tomatoes are completely cooked. Remove from heat; let cool to room temperature. Puree the tomatoes, dried chiles, and 2 cups of the cooking water in a blender until smooth. Add the chicken broth, vinegar, garlic, salt, oregano, ground cumin, and black pepper. Puree until well combined.

Step 2

Layer the sliced onion along the bottom of a slow cooker. Place chicken on top of the onions. Pour the chile sauce over the chicken. Top with the bay leaves. Cover and cook over low heat for 3½ to 4 hours. Remove bay leaves; shred chicken with two forks.

Step 3

To serve, ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped red onion, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with warm corn or flour.