Mole Poblano con Pollo
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Chicken pieces, bone-in — 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
- Dried ancho chiles, seeded — 4
- Dried mulato chiles, seeded — 3
- Dried pasilla chiles, seeded — 2
- Tomatoes — 2
- Onion — 1/4
- Garlic — 2 cloves
- Raisins — 2 tbsp
- Almonds — 2 tbsp
- Sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish — 1 tbsp
- Corn tortilla, torn — 1
- Bread, torn — 1 slice
- Mexican dark chocolate, chopped — 30 g (1 oz)
- Ground cinnamon — 1/2 tsp
- Ground cloves — 1/4 tsp
- Chicken stock — 3 cups (720 ml / 24 fl oz)
- Oil — 3 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
Method
- Simmer the chicken pieces in salted water until just cooked through, about 25 minutes; reserve the cooking liquid as stock and set the chicken aside.
- Toast the dried chiles briefly in a dry pan, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes until softened.
- In the same dry pan, lightly toast the tomatoes, onion and garlic until slightly charred.
- Fry the raisins, almonds, sesame seeds, tortilla and bread separately in a little oil until golden, then drain.
- Blend the softened chiles, charred vegetables, fried raisins, almonds, sesame seeds, tortilla and bread with a little of the reserved stock until as smooth as possible.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large pot and pour in the blended mixture, frying and stirring for 10 minutes to deepen the flavour.
- Add the remaining stock, chocolate, cinnamon and cloves, and simmer for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and darkens.
- Season with salt, add the cooked chicken, and simmer for a further 10 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds before serving with rice or tortillas.
Introduction: Chicken bathed in a deep, complex sauce of dried chiles, chocolate and spices, one of Mexico’s most celebrated and labour-intensive dishes.
Cultural Background: Mole poblano, said to have originated in the convents of Puebla, is considered a pinnacle of Mexican cuisine, its layered sauce of dozens of ingredients reserved traditionally for weddings, baptisms and other major celebrations.
Tips: Toast the chiles and other ingredients carefully — enough to deepen flavour, but not so much that they turn bitter. Blend the sauce as smooth as possible for the classic silky mole texture; strain if any grittiness remains.
Variations: Use turkey in place of chicken for a more traditional, festive presentation. Adjust the chocolate quantity to taste — mole is savoury first, with chocolate adding depth rather than sweetness.
Storage: Refrigerate the mole sauce and chicken together in an airtight container for up to 4 days; the flavour often improves after a day.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, until hot throughout.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 480 kcal, 32 g protein, 28 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: Is mole very sweet because of the chocolate?
A: No, mole poblano is primarily savoury and
Q: Can mole sauce be made ahead?
A: Yes, and many cooks feel it tastes even better the next day,
- Chicken pieces, bone-in — 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
- Dried ancho chiles, seeded — 4
- Dried mulato chiles, seeded — 3
- Dried pasilla chiles, seeded — 2
- Tomatoes — 2
- Onion — 1/4
- Garlic — 2 cloves
- Raisins — 2 tbsp
- Almonds — 2 tbsp
- Sesame seeds, plus extra to garnish — 1 tbsp
- Corn tortilla, torn — 1
- Bread, torn — 1 slice
- Mexican dark chocolate, chopped — 30 g (1 oz)
- Ground cinnamon — 1/2 tsp
- Ground cloves — 1/4 tsp
- Chicken stock — 3 cups (720 ml / 24 fl oz)
- Oil — 3 tbsp
- Salt — to taste
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