Entree: Mexico – Oaxaca – Mole Negro (A complex dark Oaxacan sauce made from toasted chiles, nuts, seeds, spices, tortillas or bread, and chocolate, served over poultry or meat)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 1 hr 30 min

Cook 1 hr 25 min

Total 2 hrs 55 min

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks recommended), skin on or off as preferred
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil or lard, divided
- 3 mulato chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 3 ancho chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 3 pasilla or chilhuacle negro chiles (stemmed and seeded)
- 2 oz (55 g) blanched almonds
- 2 oz (55 g) peanuts, unsalted
- 3 tbsp (45 g) sesame seeds, plus 1 tbsp (9 g) reserved for garnish
- 2 corn tortillas, stale or toasted, torn into pieces (about 2 oz / 55 g)
- 2 slices stale white bread, torn (about 1 oz / 30 g)
- 1 ripe plantain or banana, peeled and sliced (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 1 medium tomato, roasted (about 5 oz / 140 g)
- 1/2 medium onion, roasted (about 2.5 oz / 70 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, charred or roasted
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cloves
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground allspice
- 1 tsp (5 g) dried oregano (Mexican if available)
- 1 oz (28 g) Mexican dark chocolate or unsweetened chocolate (or dark chocolate with little sugar)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock, plus more as needed
- 1 tbsp (12 g) brown sugar or piloncillo, grated (adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil or neutral oil for frying paste (optional)
- Garnish: chopped cilantro, extra sesame seeds (1 tbsp / 9 g), and toasted sliced almonds

Instructions

1. Prepare chicken: season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken in batches until golden on both sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside. Reserve pan juices.
2. Toast chiles: in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast each chile briefly until fragrant and pliable, about 20–30 seconds per side; do not burn. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water to rehydrate for 20 minutes, then drain and roughly chop.
3. Toast seeds, nuts, tortillas and bread: in the same skillet, toast sesame seeds until fragrant (about 2 minutes) and set aside. Toast almonds and peanuts until golden, 3–4 minutes. Toast torn tortillas and bread until crisp and browned. Remove and set aside.
4. Roast vegetables and spices: directly on a hot comal or skillet, roast tomato, onion halves, and garlic until blackened in spots and softened, about 6–8 minutes. Toast cinnamon stick if whole or warm ground cinnamon and spices for 30 seconds to bloom flavors.
5. Fry plantain and build the paste: in a small skillet, heat 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) oil and fry plantain slices until caramelized and softened, about 3–4 minutes per side. Combine toasted nuts, seeds, tortillas, bread, fried plantain, rehydrated chiles, roasted tomato, onion, and garlic in a blender. Add vinegar, spices, a splash of chicken stock, and blend to a very smooth paste, adding stock as needed to reach thick puree consistency. This may require working in batches.
6. Cook the mole: heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) of oil or lard in a wide pot over medium heat. Add the chile-nut paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes to remove raw flavors and deepen color. Gradually add remaining 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock, stirring to incorporate. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is glossy and has thickened. Add chocolate and brown sugar, stir until melted and integrated. Adjust salt, acidity with a little more vinegar, and sweetness as needed.
7. Finish with chicken: add browned chicken pieces to the simmering mole, spooning sauce over them. Cover and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25–30 minutes. If sauce thickens too much, add more stock to reach desired consistency.
8. Serve: transfer chicken to a platter and spoon additional mole over top. Garnish with chopped cilantro, reserved sesame seeds, and toasted almond slices. Serve with steamed rice, warm corn tortillas, or tlayudas as preferred.