Pipian Verde (green mole)

Ingredients

• 8small chicken drumsticks (or chicken thighs)
• 1small onion, peeled
• 2garlic cloves, skin on
• 1 small bunchcoriander
• 1bay leaf
• to tastesalt
• 227 g (½ lb)tomatillos, boiled (about 355 ml / 1½ cups)
• 1poblano, Anaheim or jalapeño pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks
• 1 bunchradish leaves
• 2romaine lettuce leaves
• 70 g (½ cup)toasted pumpkin seeds
• 36 g (¼ cup)toasted sesame seeds
• 73 g (½ cup)toasted peanuts
• ¼ tspcumin seeds
• ½ tspblack peppercorns
• 1 largegarlic clove, peeled

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the chicken

   Put the chicken in a large pot with the onion, skin-on garlic cloves, bay leaf, coriander, salt and plenty of water. Cook until the chicken is done.

2. 2

   Strain the stock

   Lift the chicken out into a bowl. Strain the cooking liquid and keep both the chicken and stock aside.

3. 3

   Blend the sauce

   Put the cooked tomatillos in a blender with the chilli, radish leaves, lettuce, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, sesame seeds, cumin, peppercorns and peeled garlic. Add 600 ml (2½ cups) of the chicken stock and blend on high for 3–4 minutes, until velvety.

4. 4

   Simmer the pipian

   Pour the sauce into a large pot and stir in 355 ml (1½ cups) of chicken stock. Bring it to a simmer, then cook over a medium-low heat for 40 minutes, stirring from time to time.

5. 5

   Finish with chicken

   Adjust the salt to taste and add the cooked chicken. Cook for a further 10 minutes to bring the flavours together, then turn off the heat.

6. 6

   Serve the dish

   Serve with Mexican white rice and warm corn tortillas.

What is pipian verde?

Pipian verde is a Mexican mole-style sauce whose name is associated with its use of seeds, often pumpkin seeds. This version combines them with tomatillos, chilli and leafy greens for a savoury, tangy sauce.

Toasted seeds give the sauce body, while blending them with the greens and cooking liquid makes it smooth enough to coat the chicken. The chicken cooks in a simple aromatic broth first, so its stock can be used in the sauce.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 544 calories, 41g protein, 19g carbs, 36g fat.

The chicken provides much of the protein, while the pumpkin seeds, peanuts and sesame seeds contribute a substantial share of the fat and some protein. The tomatillos and accompanying rice or tortillas provide carbohydrates; serving the pipian with a generous portion of leafy vegetables can balance the plate.

Build flavour from the stock

Aromatic base: the onion, skin-on garlic, bay leaf and coriander flavour the water as the chicken cooks. Strain the liquid, but keep it rather than discarding it; the method uses it to blend and simmer the sauce.

Salt: season the chicken's cooking liquid, then taste and adjust the finished sauce before adding the chicken.

Choose the chilli

Milder option: poblano or Anaheim peppers bring green pepper flavour without the same heat as a jalapeño. Deseed whichever pepper you use and cut it into chunks for blending.

Leafy greens: radish leaves and romaine join the tomatillos in the blender, contributing to the sauce's green colour and fresh flavour.

Blend for a smooth sauce

Toast and blend: the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and peanuts are toasted before they go into the blender. Blend on high for the full 3–4 minutes so the seeds break down into a velvety sauce.

Liquid: use 600 ml of the reserved chicken stock for blending. If the blender is crowded, follow its capacity guidance rather than filling it above the marked line.

Let the sauce simmer

Steady heat: once the sauce and the additional 355 ml of stock are in the pot, bring the mixture to a simmer and cook it over medium-low heat for 40 minutes. Stir from time to time to keep the sauce from catching on the base.

Finish: add the cooked chicken for the final 10 minutes, just long enough for it to warm through and take on some of the sauce's flavour.

Serve it with

Rice: Mexican white rice is suggested alongside the pipian and helps make the sauce part of a filling meal.

Tortillas: serve warm corn tortillas at the table for scooping up sauce. Keep them warm while the chicken finishes cooking.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the chicken cooking liquid so you have stock for both blending and simmering the sauce.
• Use the pepper variety that suits your preferred level of heat.
• Blend the sauce for the full 3–4 minutes to help the toasted seeds become smooth.
• Stir the sauce occasionally during its 40-minute simmer.
• Taste and adjust the salt before adding the cooked chicken.
• Warm the corn tortillas just before serving.

Variations

• Use chicken thighs: swap them for the drumsticks as suggested in the ingredient list.
• Change the chilli: choose poblano, Anaheim or jalapeño to suit your preferred heat.
• Serve with another protein: use the green sauce over a favourite protein, as suggested in the recipe description.
• Make it seed-forward: keep the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and peanuts toasted for the sauce's characteristic richness.
• Add extra sides: serve additional warm corn tortillas alongside the rice.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Discarding the cooking liquid: strain it and reserve it for blending and simmering the sauce.
• Blending with too little stock: measure out the stated 600 ml for the blender so the ingredients can form a sauce.
• Stopping the blend too soon: blend for 3–4 minutes on high to reach a velvety texture.
• Cooking at too high a heat: keep the sauce at a medium-low simmer for its 40-minute cook.
• Forgetting to stir: stir from time to time so the sauce does not catch on the bottom of the pot.
• Adding the chicken too early: follow the method and cook it in the sauce for the final 10 minutes.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot, stirring the sauce; add a splash of water if it has thickened.

Frequently asked questions