Mole Poblano

Ingredients

• 1 wholechicken, cut into pieces
• 1.9 litres (8 cups)water
• 1corn tortilla
• 1 sliceday-old bread
• 1½ cups (about 135 g)dried chillies (mulato, pasilla or ancho)
• 1 smallwhite onion
• 3garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup (about 145 g)raisins
• 1 cup (about 140 g)almonds
• 1 cup (about 145 g)peanuts
• ½ cup (about 60 g)pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup (about 75 g)sesame seeds
• ¼ tspcoriander seeds
• 1cinnamon stick
• 2whole cloves
• 3 large or 5 smallblack peppercorns
• 1 discMexican table chocolate
• 950 ml (4 cups)chicken broth
• 2chicken bouillon cubes
• 3½ tbspvegetable oil or pork lard
• 2 tbspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the chicken

   Put the chicken in a large pot and add the water, enough to cover it by about 2.5 cm. Bring to the boil over high heat, then lower the heat and cook for about 15–20 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside.

2. 2

   Prepare the chillies

   Cut off the chilli tops and remove the seeds and veins. Heat the lard or oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, then fry the chillies in batches for about 1 minute. Drain and reserve them; take care not to let them burn, as that can make the sauce bitter.

3. 3

   Blend the chillies

   Purée the fried chillies in a blender or food processor, pressing them down as needed, until they form a smooth, deep-red paste.

4. 4

   Toast the nuts

   Heat the same pot over medium-high heat and add another tablespoon of lard. Once it has melted, lower the heat to medium, add the almonds, peanuts and pumpkin seeds, and stir constantly for about 2 minutes, until the seeds have darkened. Drain them with a strainer, keeping the liquid in the pot, and set the nuts and seeds aside.

5. 5

   Fry bread and garlic

   Fry the bread in the pot for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until dark brown. Lift it out with tongs or a slotted spoon and set it aside. Add the garlic cloves; once they have darkened, drain them and set aside.

6. 6

   Fry cinnamon and raisins

   Add the cinnamon stick to the pot and remove it once it has darkened. Fry the raisins for about 30 seconds, until plump, then drain and set them aside.

7. 7

   Soften the tortilla

   Add the tortilla to the liquid in the pot and heat it for 10 seconds. Turn it over and heat for another 10 seconds, then lift it out with tongs and let excess liquid drip back into the pot. Pour the liquid into a bowl and reserve it.

8. 8

   Toast seeds and spices

   Toast the sesame seeds in the pot for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the peppercorns, cloves and coriander seeds, and keep stirring until the seeds and spices have darkened.

9. 9

   Blend the first paste

   Transfer the toasted seeds and spices to a blender. Break up the tortilla and add it with the bread, raisins, cinnamon stick, garlic, salt and half of the toasted nuts and seeds. Purée, adding chicken broth as needed to make a paste. It should be deep reddish brown; transfer it to a bowl.

10. 10

    Blend remaining nuts

    Blend the remaining toasted nuts and seeds, pressing the mixture down as needed until smooth. Transfer the paste to a large bowl.

11. 11

    Cook the onion

    Slice the onion and heat ½ tablespoon of lard in the pot. Once melted, add the onion and sauté until golden brown. Transfer it to the blender and blend until smooth.

12. 12

    Simmer the mole

    Pour the second nut-and-seed paste into the pot, then add half of the first mole paste and stir. Break up the chocolate disc and stir it in, followed by the bouillon cubes; stir until they have dissolved. Add the remaining mole paste and enough chicken broth to reach a medium consistency. Add more salt, then simmer over medium heat until the sauce has reduced by about 2.5 cm.

13. 13

    Serve with chicken

    For bone-in chicken, add the cooked pieces to the mole and turn them to coat. Serve a piece of chicken with extra sauce spooned over it and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. For shredded chicken, remove the meat from the cooked pieces, place it on a plate, and spoon over the mole and sesame seeds.

What is mole poblano?

Mole poblano is a rich Mexican sauce, commonly associated with Puebla, made by bringing together chillies, spices, fruit, seeds, nuts and chocolate. Its flavour is layered rather than simply sweet or hot: toasted ingredients add depth, while fruit and chocolate round out the chilli’s warmth.

This version turns the sauce into a chicken dish by cooking the components separately before combining them. The staged frying and blending help build a sauce with a deep colour and a smooth, substantial texture.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 1060 calories, 57g protein, 79g carbs, 61g fat.

The chicken contributes much of the protein, while the chillies, raisins, bread and chocolate supply most of the carbohydrates. The nuts, seeds and cooking fat make the sauce rich in fat, so serve it with vegetables or a modest portion of rice to round out the plate.

Why fry the ingredients separately?

Chillies: brief frying in fat helps soften their flavour before blending. Work in batches and keep them moving; browned is useful, but burnt chillies can taste bitter.

Nuts and seeds: toasting brings out their roasted flavour and gives the mole body. The recipe uses several batches, so keep the toasted ingredients separate until it is time to blend them.

Aromatics: bread, garlic, cinnamon, raisins and tortilla each need different cooking times. Removing each one as it is ready helps prevent the smaller or more delicate ingredients from scorching.

Building a smooth paste

Blender batches: the recipe divides the ingredients into two nut-and-seed pastes and a chilli purée. This keeps the blender from becoming too full and makes it easier to work the mixture towards a smooth consistency.

Liquid: add chicken broth gradually while blending the first mole paste. The aim is a thick, blendable paste, not a thin sauce at this stage; more broth goes into the pot later to adjust the final consistency.

Balancing the sauce

Chocolate: Mexican table chocolate adds sweetness and a gentle spiced note, but it is one part of a sauce that also contains chillies, toasted spices and savoury broth. Break it up before adding so it melts more readily.

Salt: the ingredient list includes both salt and bouillon cubes, which contribute seasoning. Taste the sauce as it simmers before adding extra salt, since the cubes and broth may already make it sufficiently savoury.

Getting the texture right

Look for a mole that coats a spoon but still flows easily when ladled. If it feels too thick, stir in a little more chicken broth; if it seems too loose, give it more time to reduce gently.

Stir regularly as the sauce simmers, paying attention to the bottom of the pot where the nut-rich paste can catch. Gentle cooking helps the separate batches combine into a cohesive sauce.

Serving the chicken

Bone-in: the method adds the cooked chicken pieces to the finished sauce and turns them to coat. This gives the chicken time to take on the mole’s flavour before serving.

Shredded: alternatively, take the cooked meat off the bones and spoon the sauce over it on the plate. Serve with rice or warm tortillas if you want something alongside to catch the sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a large pot so the chicken and sauce ingredients have room to cook without crowding.
• Toast the chillies only briefly and remove them promptly to avoid bitter flavours.
• Blend in batches and pause to scrape down the sides for a more even paste.
• Add broth a little at a time when blending, then adjust the sauce again in the pot.
• Stir the mole regularly as it simmers so the thick sauce does not catch on the bottom.
• Taste before adding extra salt because the bouillon cubes are already seasoned.

Variations

• Use different chillies: combine mulato, pasilla and ancho chillies for a more layered flavour.
• Adjust the heat: remove more chilli seeds and veins for a gentler sauce.
• Choose the fat: use vegetable oil instead of pork lard if preferred.
• Serve it shredded: pull the cooked chicken from the bones and spoon over the mole.
• Add a side: serve with rice or warm tortillas to accompany the sauce.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Burning the chillies: fry them briefly and remove them as soon as they are cooked, since scorching can make the sauce bitter.
• Crowding the blender: blend in the listed batches and add broth gradually for a smoother paste.
• Adding too much broth early: use only enough to blend the paste, then adjust the sauce in the pot.
• Skipping the stirring: keep the mole moving during its simmer so the thick mixture does not stick or scorch.
• Over-salting: taste after the bouillon has dissolved before adding more salt.

How to store

Refrigerate leftover chicken and mole in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until piping hot, adding a splash of broth or water if the sauce has thickened; stir often.

Frequently asked questions