Mexico · Meat Dishes
Mole Poblano (Mexican Chicken in Chocolate Chili Sauce)
Mole poblano is Mexico's most celebrated sauce — a deep, dark, layered blend of dried chiles, toasted nuts and seeds, dried fruit, spices, and a little Mexican chocolate, ladled over tender chicken.
Ingredients
- chicken1200 g
- ancho chiles3 pcs
- pasilla chiles4 pcs
- mexican chocolate60 g
- almonds60 g
- sesame seeds40 g
- raisins50 g
- corn tortilla1 pcs
- tomato2 pcs
- cinnamon1 stick
- vegetable oil or lard4 tbsp
- saltto taste
- sugarto taste
- mulato chiles3 pcs
- small white onion, roughly chopped0.5
- garlic3 cloves
- whole cloves4
- black peppercorns0.5 tsp
- anise seeds0.125 tsp
Method
- 1Put the chicken pieces in a pot, cover with cold salted water and bring to a simmer, skimming off the foam. Simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, until the thickest piece reads 74°C (165°F) next to the bone and the juices run clear. Leave the chicken in its broth off the heat and ladle out broth for the sauce as you need it.
- 2Stem and seed the dried chiles. Toast them in a dry pan for about 30 seconds a side until fragrant — don't scorch them or the mole turns bitter — then soak in hot water for 15–20 minutes until soft.
- 3In 2 tablespoons of the oil, fry the almonds, sesame seeds (reserving some for garnish), raisins, and torn tortilla until golden and fragrant. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, then add the tomatoes and warm through.
- 4Blend the soaked chiles with the fried nuts, seeds, raisins, tortilla, onion, garlic and tomatoes, plus the cinnamon, whole cloves, peppercorns, anise and enough broth to make a smooth paste. Work in batches and pass each through a sieve for a silky sauce.
- 5Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy pot and pour in the strained mole base — it will splatter. Fry it, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes so the flavours deepen.
- 6Stir in the Mexican chocolate and 2–3 cups of broth. Simmer gently, stirring often, 30–45 minutes until the sauce is glossy, thick enough to coat a spoon, and forms slow ribbons. Season with salt and a little sugar to balance.
- 7Add the chicken to the sauce and simmer gently for 5–10 minutes, until it is hot right through. Serve it in the sauce, or lift the pieces onto plates and ladle the mole over. Scatter with the reserved sesame seeds and serve with rice and warm tortillas.