Description
Rich Mexican chicken mole blends complex spices and chocolate into a soul-warming culinary journey through Puebla’s beloved traditions. Silky sauce draped over tender chicken creates an unforgettable meal you’ll savor with pure delight.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on or boneless breasts)
- 2 cups chicken broth (for poaching)
- 2 medium tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 dried ancho chilies (stems & seeds removed, soaked in warm water)
- 2 dried guajillo chilies (or pasilla chilies, soaked in warm water)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 1 oz dark chocolate (70% or Mexican chocolate like Abuelita)
- 1 small corn tortilla (torn into pieces)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 tbsps vegetable oil
- 2 tbsps peanut butter (or ground almonds)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional)
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ¼ cup raisins
- 2 cups chicken broth (or reserved poaching liquid)
- Sesame seeds (for sprinkling)
- Chopped cilantro
- Warm corn tortillas or rice
Instructions
- Poaching Chicken: Immerse seasoned chicken with bay leaves in broth, simmering gently until tender and fully cooked. Extract chicken, preserving aromatic liquid for sauce preparation.
- Chili Preparation: Carefully remove stems and seeds from dried chilies. Gently toast in dry skillet until fragrant, then submerge in warm water to rehydrate and soften.
- Sauce Foundation: Sauté aromatics including onions, garlic, and tomatoes until translucent. Incorporate nuts, sesame seeds, raisins, and tortilla fragments, creating a complex flavor base. Introduce warming spices like cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Sauce Refinement: Transfer sautéed mixture to blender, incorporating reserved chicken broth. Pulse until silky smooth. Return to skillet, introducing cocoa powder or Mexican chocolate, allowing sauce to simmer and develop deep, rich flavors.
- Final Assembly: Gently nestle poached chicken into mole sauce, allowing flavors to meld for several minutes. Calibrate seasoning with salt and pepper. Present dish adorned with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro, creating a visually appealing and aromatic Mexican delicacy.
Notes
- Choose fresh, pliable dried chilies without mold or musty smell for intense, authentic flavor and proper sauce texture.
- Lightly toast chilies to release aromatic oils without burning, which can create bitter taste; watch skillet closely and move chilies constantly.
- Use high-powered blender and strain sauce through fine-mesh sieve to achieve silky, restaurant-quality consistency without chunky bits.
- Start with small amount of cocoa or chocolate, tasting gradually to prevent overpowering sweetness; authentic mole requires subtle chocolate undertones.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg