
Mole Poblano
A rich, complex Mexican sauce with chocolate, chilies, and spices, traditionally served over chicken.
30 mins
Prep Time
2 hours
Cook Time
6
Servings
Ingredients
- 4 dried ancho chilies
- 2 dried pasilla chilies
- 2 dried mulato chilies
- 1/2 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
- 1 ripe plantain, sliced
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablet Mexican chocolate
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil
Nutrition Facts
Instructions
Prepare the chilies: Remove stems and seeds from the dried chilies. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet until fragrant, then soak in hot water for 20 minutes.
Toast the nuts and seeds: In the same skillet, toast almonds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds separately until golden. Set aside.
Cook the base: Heat lard or oil in a large pot. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add tortilla pieces and plantain, cooking until lightly browned.
Blend the sauce: Drain the chilies and blend with toasted nuts, seeds, raisins, spices, and cooked onion mixture. Add some chicken broth to help blending.
Simmer the mole: Pour the blended mixture back into the pot. Add remaining broth and chocolate. Simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Adjust seasoning: Taste and add salt as needed. The sauce should be thick and velvety. Strain if desired for smoother texture.
Serve: Traditionally served over cooked chicken. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with warm tortillas.
Chef's Tips
- Chili Note: For authentic flavor, use the combination of ancho, pasilla, and mulato chilies. Adjust heat by removing more seeds.
- Chocolate Tip: Use authentic Mexican chocolate like Ibarra or Abuelita for best results.
- Make Ahead: Mole tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. Reheat gently before serving.
- Freezing: Mole freezes well for up to 3 months. Portion before freezing for easy use.
- Shortcut: For quicker version, use pre-made mole paste and enhance with extra spices and chocolate.