Chicken Mole Poblano
Tender chicken simmered in a rich Mexican mole sauce made with toasted chiles, spices, nuts, and cocoa.
Equipment
- Large skillet
- Blender
- Dutch oven
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Mole Sauce
- 3 large dried ancho chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 large dried pasilla chiles stemmed and seeded
- 2 cups hot water for soaking
- 1 medium yellow onion quartered
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup almonds toasted
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds plus more to garnish
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp fine salt
Chicken
- 2 lb boneless chicken thighs
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
To Serve
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 8 small corn tortillas warmed
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
Toast and Blend:
- Toast the dried chiles in a dry skillet for 30 to 45 seconds per side until fragrant. Transfer them to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 20 minutes.
- Toast the almonds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, and cumin briefly. Blend the softened chiles with the toasted ingredients, onion, garlic, raisins, cocoa, salt, tomatoes, and 1 cup of stock until smooth.
- Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl.
Simmer:
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Brown the chicken in batches, then return it all to the pot.
- Pour in the mole sauce and remaining stock. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 45 to 50 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Serve:
- Taste the mole and adjust salt or sweetness if needed. Spoon the chicken and sauce over rice.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve with warm tortillas.
Notes
- A small piece of dark chocolate can replace some of the cocoa for extra richness.
- Blend the sauce in batches if your blender is small, and vent the lid carefully when blending hot ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories: 560kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 38gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 125mgSodium: 890mgFiber: 7gSugar: 12g