Chicken Mole Recipe

Mexican Mole Sauce is made with layers of complex and bold flavors, simmered together over a long period of time before being blended until smooth. Learn how to make this delicious chicken mole and serve with warm rice, beans, wrapped in tortillas, or drizzled over your favorite tacos, nachos, and veggies.

Comforting, complex, and extremely versatile, Mole (pronounced moh-lay) is one of my very favorite Mexican cuisine classics. A labor of love to prepare, making your own homemade mole sauce is a million times worth the effort.

This recipe, while not 100 percent traditional, isn’t exactly fast and easy either. While one may expect to spend at least a day, if not days, to make the most traditional and authentic mole, you can expect to spend approximately 2 to 3 hours to get this awesome chicken mole recipe ready and on the table for you and your family to enjoy.

Aside from chicken, leftover mole sauce tastes fantastic with tostadas, chicken or veggie enchiladas, tacos, and burritos.

Mole is a Mexican chile sauce. While the exact origin of mole sauce unknown, some argue that its origins date back to pre-hispanic Mexico to the time of the Aztecs. Others argue that mole sauce originated in Puebla or Oaxaca, Mexico.

Regardless of its origin, over the years mole has been highly influenced by family tradition and local preference. Found in countless versions and varieties, mole sauce ranges in color, ingredient type and amount of ingredients (some have well over 30 ingredients!), and consistency.

Mole poblano, native to the state of Puebla, is the most well-known of all mole varieties. Considered the national dish of Mexico, it comes packed with approximately 20 ingredients, including chocolate, and is often served over turkey.

Travel to the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, and you’ll find seven different types of mole: negro, colorado, amarillo, verde, chichilo, coloradito, and mancha manteles.

Regardless of origin, however, most mole sauces contain fruit, chili peppers, nuts, several different spices, and (sometimes) chocolate. And though it is thought that mole was originally made without chocolate, the addition of a rich, dark, Mexican chocolate is the new normal.

Chicken Mole with Homemade Mole Sauce

Authentic Mexican Mole Sauce is made with layers of complex and bold flavors, simmered together over a long period of time before being blended until smooth. Learn how to make this delicious chicken mole and serve with warm rice, beans, wrapped in tortillas, or drizzled over your favorite tacos, nachos, and veggies.

Prep: 20min

Total: 110min

Yield: 10

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 491 kcal, Carbohydrate 29 g, Protein 53 g, Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Cholesterol 145 mg, Sodium 561 mg, Fiber 5 g, Sugar 13 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 pounds chicken (boneless skinless chicken breast, chicken thighs, legs, whole chicken, combo, etc))
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups orange juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 medium onions (chopped)
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (or pepitas, or sesame seeds)
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 8 cloves garlic (sliced)
• 4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon whole anise seeds
• 4 whole cloves
• 5 ounces dried pasilla chiles (stem removed, seeded (optional), torn into 1-inch pieces, rinsed)
• 1 ounce dried ancho chiles (stem removed, seeded (optional), torn into 1-inch pieces, rinsed)
• 1 ounce dried chipotle chiles (stem removed, seeded (optional), torn into 1-inch pieces, rinsed)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3.1 ounces dark Mexican chocolate (or just dark chocolate) (chopped)
• Fresh chopped cilantro (for serving)

Instruction:

1. Carefully remove chicken to a clean bowl and set aside. Reserve broth for later use.
2. Working in batches, transfer sauce mixture to the bowl of a blender and puree until smooth. Avoid overfilling. Transfer mixture to the reserved pot. Repeat until all sauce is processed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Best served warm with rice or warm tortillas and sprinkled with fresh cilantro and pumpkin seeds.

Chicken Mole

Holy Mole! This Chicken Mole recipe is out of this world, boasting a thick, rich, chocolate-tinged, mildly spicy sauce. This particular recipe is a fusion of my Grandma and my Mom’s recipes, and if I’m being honest, it is the perfect combination of both. Make some today and enjoy many meals to come.

Prep: 10min

Total: 45min

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 245 kcal, Carbohydrate 25 g, Protein 16 g, Fat 10 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 36 mg, Sodium 1326 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 12 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 onion (quartered)
• 1-2 pounds chicken breasts
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion (chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 bolillo, substitute small French roll (cut into1-inch pieces)
• 2 dried ancho chiles (rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and diced)
• 2 California red chile pods
• 2 small tomatillos (husks removed, rinsed, and chopped)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (plus more for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 1.5 ounces Mexican chocolate (coarsely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons Dona Maria mole paste
• 2 teaspoons salt

Instruction:

1. In a large pot, heat water, salt, onion, chicken, and bay leaf. Once it starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate to cool off, and then shred. Discard bay leaf. Reserve broth and onion.
2. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring continuously to keep it from sticking to skillet. Plate some mole on a serving plate and toss a handful of sesame seeds on top for garnish.

EASY Chicken Molé Recipe | Doña Maria Mole Sauce

FAQ

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