Juicy and coated in a thick chile and chocolate-based sauce, Mexican Pollo con Mole is sweet, spicy, earthy, and smoky. Once the chicken is fork-tender, it’s served with lots of sauce and drizzled with crema.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Chicken Mole Recipe
- What is Pollo con Mole?
- What is Mole Sauce?
- What Does Chicken Mole Taste Like?
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to Make Pollo con Mole
- Tips for Making the Best Pollo con Mole
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
- Can You Freeze Mole Sauce?
- More Mexican Recipes To Try
- Get the Recipe
Do you love tender, flavorful chicken dinners? Then today I have a treat for you: pollo con mole.
This traditional Mexican recipe features chicken thighs and drumsticks simmered in a richly spiced chocolate sauce. The meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender, while the sauce develops a spicy, smoky-sweet flavor.
If the idea of using chocolate in a savory dish sounds strange, I urge you to give it a try. The combination of chiles, aromatics, and spices makes mole’s flavor profile much more complex than a simple chocolate sauce. Make sure you serve this dish with extra tortillas on the side so that you can use them to scoop up every last bite!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Mole Recipe
- Authentic. If you are looking for traditional Mexican flavors right in your own kitchen, then this recipe is for you. It tastes just like you were ordering this dish at a restaurant in Mexico.
- Flavorful. Mole sauce has a rich and complex flavor. You have some heat from the chilis, some sweetness from the piloncillo, all complemented by the perfect balance of spices and Mexican chocolate.
For me, eating this pollo con mole is the equivalent of that scene in Ratatouille when the restaurant critic Anton Ego takes a bit of a childhood favorite and flashes back to his mother’s kitchen. (Or in my case, my Mexican grandmother’s kitchen.) I hope you try it!
What is Pollo con Mole?
Mole con pollo is a traditional Mexican dish with pre-hispanic origins. It was prepared by grinding dried chiles, seeds, and cacao to prepare “mulli.” The sauce was used to cook wild turkeys in as an offering to the gods.
Today, the sauce is no longer an offering but a popular recipe to cook juicy chicken with. Simmered in a heavily spiced chile and chocolate sauce for hours until it falls off the bone, it’s often served with sesame seeds and Mexican crema on top. In Spanich, “pollo” means “chicken” and “con mole” means “with mole [sauce]”.
What is Mole Sauce?
Depending on the region, Mexican mole sauce is made with a variety of ingredients. Dried chiles like guajillo and ancho, Mexican chocolate, pumpkin seeds, and spices like cumin and cloves, are the most common ingredients for the sauce. Tortillas, crushed galletas María, and seeds are typically used as thickeners.
Is Mole Sauce Spicy?
It doesn’t necessarily have to be. There are different kinds of mole, some of which tend to be on the sweeter or spicier side. It depends on the recipe and how many chiles you decide to incorporate into the sauce. This recipe is quite mild, but you can make it spicier by adding more chiles de arbol to taste.
What Does Chicken Mole Taste Like?
Mole chicken, or “mole con pollo,” tastes like juicy chicken that’s absorbed some of the sweetness and heat from the heavily spiced but perfectly balanced chile and chocolate sauce.
The chocolate is not too in-your-face, being mellowed out by lots of smokiness and bitterness from the chiles. The seeds and spices add earthiness and nuttiness. There are also subtle hints of ash from the charred tomatoes.
When bitten into, it’s earthy and spicy, reminiscent of a savory coffee or chocolate rub on grilled meats.
Recipe Ingredients
Homemade mole is not a recipe for the faint of heart. It requires more than a handful of ingredients, but it’ll be worth it. Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact ingredient amounts.
- Vegetable oil – Use any kind of neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point like canola, corn, or rapeseed.
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks – Make sure they’re bone-in for extra juicy chicken.
- Lard – You can use vegetable oil instead if you want.
- Guajillo chiles – There is no substitute for these. Find them at most Mexican supermarkets or online.
- Ancho chiles – Please don’t replace them with other kinds of dried chile.
- Water
- Corn tortillas – Also used to thicken the sauce. Don’t use flour tortillas because they won’t thicken the sauce.
- Galletas María – These are typical Mexican cookies, but you can also use plain breadcrumbs. They are used to thicken the sauce and add a hint of sweetness.
- White onion – Feel free to use yellow onion too.
- Garlic cloves – Substitute for 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for every clove in the recipe.
- Unsalted pumpkin seeds – You can also use peeled sunflower seeds. Regardless, reduce the salt in the recipe if they’re salted.
- White sesame seeds – White seeds add a pop of color, but black sesame seeds work too.
- Unsalted peanuts – Make sure they’re peeled, otherwise the mole won’t be as smooth.
- Ground cloves
- Ground cumin
- Roma tomatoes
- Piloncillo – Dark brown sugar is also fine to use.
- Chicken bouillon powder
- Low-sodium chicken broth – If you use regular chicken broth, adjust the amount of salt in the recipe to taste. Veggie broth and water work as well.
- Mexican hot chocolate – I prefer the Ibarra brand (affiliate link) because it’s not as heavily spiced. You can use Abuelita chocolate too but it’s very sweet and spiced so you’ll have to adjust the spices and seasoning to taste.
- Chile de arbol – If you can’t find it, swap it out for chili powder to taste.
- Salt and black pepper
For serving:
- Sesame seeds
- Mexican crema – Sour cream thinned with a bit of milk also works well.
How to Make Pollo con Mole
Take a deep breath and get started. It’s not difficult, there are just lots of parts to this recipe. The effort is worth it though!
- Sear the chicken. Add about 1 tablespoon of oil into a pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. It should not be fully cooked at this point. Transfer to a plate and set it aside.
- Toast the chiles. Melt the lard over medium heat in a separate pan. Add the guajillo and ancho chiles, stirring them often to avoid burning. Cook them for up to a minute. Remove from the heat and set them aside but don’t discard the melted lard.
- Hydrate the chiles. Place the toasted chiles in a heat-proof bowl and cover them with boiling water. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes.
- Fry the tortillas. Use the leftover lard to fry the tortillas over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or until crispy. Lower the heat and add the crushed galletas María. Stir well to toast the crushed cookies for 1-2 minutes. Transfer the crumbs and tortillas to a bowl. Set them aside.
- Add the aromatics and spices. Add another tablespoon of oil to the same pan and place it over medium heat. Add the onion, let it cook for 2-3 minutes, and then add the garlic. Stir well and cook for an extra minute. Add the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, ground cloves, and ground cumin. Stir constantly to avoid burning and cook for another 6-7 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes. Place the tomatoes in the pan and let them char for 5-6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Transfer to a blender (affiliate link). Add all of the fried ingredients in the pan, crushed galletas María, and tortillas to a blender. Drain the chiles and add them too. Pour in 1 cup of their cooking liquid and reserve the rest.
- Blend the sauce. Process the ingredients until you get a chunky mixture. Add the piloncillo, chicken bouillon powder, and half of the chicken broth. Blend again until smooth. Season with salt to taste and adjust the sauce’s consistency to taste with more broth.
- Pour in the broth. Add the remaining chicken broth into the same pot you cooked the chicken in. Place it over medium heat and let it simmer. Gently scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula to remove any browned bits. Strain the blended mole sauce into the pot. Discard the pulp.
- Add the chocolate. Add half of a hot chocolate disk and stir it into the sauce until it has completely dissolved. Taste for sweetness. If you’d like it even sweeter, add the remaining half of the disk and dissolve it into the mixture. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer it. Add the seared chicken and chile de arbol into the mole sauce. Stir until completely coated and well combined. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more chicken broth as needed so that the mole doesn’t evaporate completely.
- Serve. Serve and ladle some extra mole sauce on top. Drizzle with Mexican crema and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.
Tips for Making the Best Pollo con Mole
Follow these tips to simplify the process and make your life easier:
- Use salted peanuts. Don’t fret if they’re all you can find, just make sure they’re peeled and give them a good rinse before incorporating them to the recipe.
- Use rotisserie chicken. This is great for when you’re in a rush because all you’ll have to make is the sauce. Add the chicken to the mole and let it heat for 5-10 minutes before serving.
- Add more tortillas. If you can’t find Galletas María, just add 2-3 more tortillas to the recipe. You can also use breadcrumbs instead.
- Use tortilla chips. Store-bought tortilla chips are a great hack when you want to cut down on cooking time, just reduce the amount of salt in the recipe to taste.
- Use tomato puree. Substitute the roma tomatoes for 1 1/4 cups tomato puree.
Serving Suggestions
Mole is usually eaten with a side of red Mexican rice, refried beans, or guacamole. Frijoles de la olla are a soupy, protein-packed option too.
Even if you choose to eat it on its own, make sure to drizzle it with lots of Mexican crema. A sprinkle of sesame seeds adds crunch and a nice bitter earthiness. Sliced avocado and chopped onion are also great toppings. For more heat, try drizzling a little bit of my salsa macha on top.
If you’re feeling creative, shred the leftover chicken and mix it with the sauce to make mole tacos the next day.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, simply sprinkle 2-3 teaspoons of water into the sauce and stir briefly. This will prevent the mole from drying out.
Microwave for up to a minute or until warm. You can also heat it in a pan over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes.
Wondering how to use extra mole? I recommend making enmoladas, which are chicken enchiladas made with mole instead of enchilada sauce.
Can You Freeze Mole Sauce?
Yes! Once fully cooled, transfer the mole sauce to a freezer-friendly bag or container and freeze for up to 4 months.
When you’re ready to eat it, transfer it to the fridge the night before. The next day let it finish thawing at room temperature for up to an hour. Pop it into a pan over medium-low heat and add more water or chicken broth as needed until you reach the desired consistency.
More Mexican Recipes To Try
- Pambazos (Mexican Chorizo Sandwiches)
- Instant Pot Mexican Rice
- Frijoles Refritos (Mexican Refried Beans)
- Tortas Ahogadas (Mexican “Drowned” Sandwiches)
- Quesabirria Tacos
- Homemade Huaraches Recipe
Mole con Pollo
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil, for cooking
- 3 ½ pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone-in
For the Mole Sauce
- ⅓ cup lard, Vegetable oil works too.
- 14 guajillo chiles, seeded and stemmed
- 5 ancho chiles, seeded and stemmed
- Boiling water, for soaking the chiles
- 2 corn tortillas, roughly chopped
- ⅔ cup galletas María, Mexican cookies, finely crushed
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 6 medium-sized garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
- 3 tablespoons white sesame seeds
- ¼ cup unsalted peanuts, crushed
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon granulated piloncillo
- ¼ teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2-1 disk Mexican hot chocolate, Ibarra brand
- 5-8 chiles de arbol, seeded and stemmed
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For serving:
- Sesame seeds
- Mexican crema
Instructions
- Sear the chicken. Add about 1-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook it for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until it’s golden brown. It should still be a little bit raw. Transfer to a plate and set it aside.
- Toast the chiles. In a separate pan, melt the lard over medium heat. Add the guajillo and ancho chiles. Cook the chiles for up to a minute, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Don’t discard the lard.
- Rehydrate the chilis. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the toasted chiles in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the boiling water over the chiles until they’re fully submerged. Let them rest for at least 15 minutes. Set them aside.
- Fry the tortillas. In the same pan as the chiles, use the leftover lard to cook the tortillas over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until crispy. Lower the heat and add the crushed galletas María. Stir well. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set it aside.
- Add the aromatics and spices. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and increase the heat to medium. Add the diced white onion and cook it for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until well combined. Cook the mixture for another minute. Add the pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, peanuts, ground cloves, and ground cumin. Stir well. Cook the mixture for another 4-5 minutes until the sesame seeds are golden brown, stirring constantly. Transfer to the bowl with the tortillas and wipe out the pot. Add the whole tomatoes into the pan and cook them for 5-6 minutes. Let them charr on all sides. Remove from the heat.
- Blend the sauce. Transfer all of the fried ingredients into the blender, including the crispy tortillas and galletas María. Drain the chiles but reserve their cooking liquid. Add the chiles and 1 cup of cooking liquid into the blender. Process until you get a chunky mixture. Add the piloncillo, chicken bouillon powder, and half of the chicken broth. Blend again until you get a smooth mixture. Season with salt to taste. If the mole is too thick, add more broth until you reach your desired consistency.
- Pour in the broth. Add the remaining chicken broth into the same pot you cooked the chicken in. Place it over medium heat and let it simmer. Gently scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula to remove any browned bits. Strain the blended mole sauce into the pot. Discard the pulp.
- Add the chocolate. Add half of a hot chocolate disk and stir it into the sauce until it has completely dissolved. Taste for sweetness. If you'd like it even sweeter, add the remaining half of the disk and dissolve it into the mixture. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.
- Simmer it. Add the seared chicken and chile de arbol into the mole sauce. Stir until completely coated and well combined. Reduce the heat to low and partially cover and let it simmer for 1-2 hours. Add more chicken broth as needed so that the mole doesn’t evaporate completely. It should be the thickness of gravy or a thick soup and darkened in color.
- Serve. Serve the chicken and ladle some extra mole sauce on top. Drizzle it with Mexican crema and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top. Enjoy it with a side of rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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