Chicken mole sauce is a delicious and complex Mexican sauce made from a variety of chilies spices, seeds nuts, and sometimes chocolate. It has a rich, deep flavor and is commonly served with chicken, rice, and beans.
A Brief History of Mole Sauce
The term “mole” comes from the Nahuatl word “mōlli” meaning sauce Moles originated in Mexico hundreds of years ago and each region developed their own unique recipes, resulting in many variations
The most famous origin story takes place in the convent of Santa Rosa in Puebla, where nuns scrambled to create a dish for the visiting archbishop using the limited ingredients they had on hand, including chilies, spices, stale bread, nuts, and a bit of chocolate. When asked what the name of the dish was, one of the nuns answered “I made a mole.”
What Makes Up Chicken Mole?
While recipes vary, chicken mole sauce is generally made up of these components:
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Chilies – Ancho, pasilla, mulato, and chipotle chilies are commonly used for their depth of flavor. Dried chilies are toasted and rehydrated before use.
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Spices – Onions, garlic, cumin, clove, cinnamon, and black pepper lend their aromatic qualities.
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Nuts – Almonds, peanuts, sesame seeds, or pumpkin seeds provide texture and nuttiness.
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Chocolate – Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate adds subtle sweetness and another layer of flavor.
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Broth – Chicken broth provides a rich base.
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Thickener – Corn tortillas or bread are blended in for thickness and body.
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Produce – Tomatoes, tomatillos, chilies, onion, and garlic add flavor.
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Herbs – Epazote, hoja santa, parsley, and cilantro brighten up the sauce.
How Is Chicken Mole Sauce Made?
Making authentic mole from scratch is very labor intensive, taking hours or even days of preparation. The chilies, spices, seeds, and nuts must be cleaned, toasted, and ground into a fine paste.
The ingredients are slowly simmered together into a thick, fragrant mole paste. The paste is then thinned with broth and simmered with chicken until tender and infused with flavor. The chicken is typically shredded and served over rice cooked in the mole sauce.
Many cooks simplify the process by using pre-made mole paste and less ingredients. Canned or jarred chilies, peanut butter, and chocolate squares make quick substitutions. While not completely authentic, shortcuts can produce a tasty chicken mole.
Popular Variations of Chicken Mole
While mole poblano is the most famous, Oaxaca is considered the land of seven moles for its diverse regional variations. Popular alternatives include:
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Mole Negro – Made with over 30 ingredients and chocolate, it has a dramatic dark color.
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Mole Verde – Pumpkin seeds and green tomatillos make this version bright green.
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Mole Amarillo – Features yellow chilies and a rich yellow color.
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Mole Coloradito – Reddish and contains tomatoes and ancho chilies.
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Mole de Cacahuate – Omits chocolate and uses peanuts instead.
Tips for Making Chicken Mole
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Toast dried chilies on a comal or skillet until fragrant, then soak in hot water to rehydrate before blending.
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Use a combination of ancho, pasilla, mulato, and chipotle chilies for the best flavor.
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Grind the spices, chilies, nuts, and seeds into a paste using a molcajete, food processor, or blender.
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Simmer the mole paste slowly for a deep, rich flavor. At least 45 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
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Add a touch of sugar to balance the spiciness if needed.
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Serve the mole over simply cooked chicken or turkey to let the sauce shine.
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Garnish with queso fresco, cilantro, onion, or lime.
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Use mole within a few days and freeze extra for later. The flavor improves over time.
The Delicious Flavors of Chicken Mole
With a complex blend of dried chilies, warm spices, nuts, seeds, chocolate, and more, chicken mole sauce is a culinary symbol of Mexico’s unique culture. When skillfully balanced, the ingredients meld into a rich mole with sweet, savory, and spicy notes. Chicken mole takes time and effort to create, but the luxurious flavors make it worthwhile. Each region of Mexico puts their own spin on mole, so there are many varieties to savor and explore.
More about Mole (what it is and where it came from):
The term Mole means “sauce” in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. And for the many different varieties (like Mole Negro that’s less sweet and made with darker chiles, or Mole Verde), there are just as many variations for making it! Traditionally it took an entire day as each ingredient is carefully roasted and ground with a mortar and pestle. For this Mole Poblano recipe were using an electric blender, to save time.
Legend says Mole poblano originated in a Convent of Santa Clara in Puebla, Mexico. Supposedly the archbishop was coming to visit, so the poor and panicked nuns sought divine guidance to make a fitting dish out of the scraps of food and old turkey available to them. The nuns created this iconic dish–a fusion of Mesoamerican and European cuisine–and the archbishop loved it.
How to Make Chicken Mole:
Boil the chicken in the spices: add chicken pieces, garlic, onion, bay leaf, chicken bouillon, salt, oregano and water to a pot. Bring to a low boil and cook over medium heat until chicken is just cooked through (165 degrees F ) about 30 minutes.
Remove chicken to a plate, (reserving the broth) cover and set aside.
Mole Sauce: Slice onions and mince garlic. Use scissors to cut the chilies open, lengthwise, and remove veins and seeds. Toast sesame seeds in a large dry skillet over medium heat. Stir constantly and stop when they’re toasted. Don’t burn! Set aside.
Prepare a large saucepan with 2 cups of water and keep it on medium heat. You’ll be adding most everything to it as you go.
Saute chilies: Add a few tablespoons of oil to the skillet over medium heat and fry chiles for a few seconds on each side, careful not to burn them. Add chiles to saucepan.
Toast peanuts, almonds, raisins, animal crackers, corn tortillas, and bread slices: Add oil, as needed andtoast each for about 45 seconds, stirring constantly so they don’t burn. Add to saucepan.
Saute onions, garlic and plantain: Turn the skillet heat to medium-high, adding more oil if needed to coat the bottom of the pan. Sauté the onion for 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for just a few seconds before spooning the onion and garlic into the saucepan. Fry plantain on both sides and add to pot.
Saute seeds: (peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, anise, and crushed red pepper). Reduce heat to medium then add seeds to hot oil. Fry for a few seconds, stirring constantly, then add to saucepan.
Add oregano, cinnamon, and chicken bouillon to the saucepan.
In a second large pot add 2 tablespoons of lard or oil. Once melted, turn off the heat.
Puree and strain the toasted ingredients: Working in batches blend everything in the first big pot until completely smooth. Add reserved chicken broth as necessary to facilitate blending. Pour each batch into the second pot through a fine mesh strainer discarding what’s left in the strainer. During one of the blending batches, add ¼ cup of the reserved toasted sesame seeds.
Melt chocolate by pouring warm chicken broth over it then add it to the pot along with brown sugar, to taste (start with one tablespoon).
Simmer the mole sauce over medium-low heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often. If the mixture is too thick, add more chicken broth (I usually end up using all of the remaining chicken broth). Taste then add salt or sugar, as needed.
Plate and serve. Place chicken on a plate and ladle a big spoonful of sauce on top, then garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with Mexican rice and warm corn tortillas on the side.
Use leftover Mole Sauce for mole enchiladas, burritos, chilaquiles, tacos, nachos, fried eggs, pork or beef.
EASY Chicken Molé Recipe | Doña Maria Mole Sauce
FAQ
What is chicken mole made of?
Mole (pronounced MOH-lay) is a rich, dark reddish-brown sauce made from onions, garlic, chiles and a bit of Mexican chocolate and is usually served with poultry. In our version, we use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the chocolate to reduce the added sugar and saturated fat.
What is mole sauce made of?
Mole sauce, a complex and flavorful Mexican sauce, typically includes a blend of dried chiles, spices, nuts, seeds, and sometimes chocolate. It also often features ingredients like tomatoes or tomatillos, and can include fruits like raisins or plantains for sweetness.
Does all mole have chocolate?
No, not all mole sauces contain chocolate. While chocolate is a common ingredient in some mole variations, it is not a defining or mandatory ingredient in all mole sauces.
Is chicken mole hot?
So then what does chicken mole sauce taste like? It’s a bold sauce with earthy, warm flavors and spice. And yes, it is a little spicy! Dried ancho chiles and chipotle chiles in adobo add a sort of fruity heat to the mix that plays deliciously with the dark cocoa.