Chicken Mole (2024)

FAQs

What is chicken mole sauce made of? ›

A celebrated dish in Mexico, this entree is all about the mole sauce — made with cloves, cinnamon, anise, coriander, dried chiles and chocolate. Incorporate toasted sesame seeds into the sauce and as a garnish for deep nutty flavor!

Not only does it demonstrate the uniqueness of Mexican food, but it also provides plenty of health benefits. Overall, most mole recipes provide a good amount of fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats, thanks to the chiles, nuts, and seeds.

Mole poblano is native to the state of Puebla, Mexico and originated in the 16th century. According to one popular legend, the nuns of the Convent of Santa Rosa created the dish to impress Juan de Palafox, Viceroy of New Spain and Archbishop of Puebla who was visiting the convent.

You can make Mole Chicken up to 3 days in advance to let the flavors blend together more. In the fridge, it can last up to 1-2 weeks. In the freezer, Mole Chicken can last for months. It's great for a quick freezer meal in the future.

The term “mole” stems from the Nahuatl world “molli,” which means “sauce” or “concoction.” Mole comes from a family of sauces prepared throughout the Oaxaca and Puebla regions of Mexico and is characterized by a complex, layered flavor derived from intricate blends of dried chiles, spices, fruits, and seasonings.

People mistakenly think that mole is also a chocolate sauce, but in reality, not all mole sauce contains chocolate. You see, there are several types of mole sauces – some may contain chocolate but others don't.

Ingredients that have been added into moles include nut (such as almond, peanut, pine nut), seed (such as sesame seed, squash seed), cilantro, seedless grape, plantain, garlic, onion, cinnamon, and chocolate.

Mole, in its current form, has many origins in Spanish technique and ingredients, but part of the reason for its popularity is located in that Father Bernardino de Sagahún, a Spanish-born priest and missionary in the early 16th century, instructed the inhabitants of the then-Aztec area where Mexico is now, to eat that ...

Serve the Chicken Mole with Cilantro Lime Rice, pickled onions, crunchy radish and cilantro (or make the Mexican Slaw), and make sure to scroll down to see how to make a vegan version of this dish! I've always thought of this dish, perfectly timed with the end of October.

Mole is often served with chicken, but goes great with beef or enchiladas. You can get creative and serve with rice and/or tortillas with added salad greens, sliced avocado, and chopped tomatoes for a simple but special meal.

What do you put mole sauce on? ›

Traditionally, a whole chicken can be served drenched in mole, but mole can also be used as a dip with tortillas or whatever you like. Shredded chicken or other meats can be tossed with mole and used to fill enchiladas, burritos, or tamales.

Each mole sauce will taste different, depending on which mole it is, who is making it, and what the final dish is, but it generally has a rich and earthy taste that can either be sweeter or spicer depending on which version you make.

Mole can be cooked with chicken (most common), rosemary or pork. It's accompanied with tortillas and Mexican rice (cooked on a tomato sauce base), and maybe some beans as well (black or pinto, cooked either whole or refried.

It's rich, warm, and well-balanced, with a variety of chiles adding layers of heat, fruitiness, sweetness, and smokiness.

The toasting of the dried chiles is very important—in fact, it is the key to turning out a true black mole. One of the most important differences between Oaxacan black mole and, say, Pueblan mole (mole poblano) is dark, dry-heat toasting of the chiles.