Entree: Mexico – Central Highlands – Mole Poblano (Complex, slow-simmered chocolate and chile sauce served over braised poultry, featuring toasted seeds, nuts, spices, and dried chiles)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 1 hr 10 min

Additional 30 min

Total 2 hrs

Ingredients

- 3 lb (1.4 kg) bone-in chicken pieces (about 6 pieces total, mix of thighs and drumsticks)
- 1 tsp (5 g) salt for chicken
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil for browning chicken
- 4 ancho chiles, stems removed and seeds shaken out (about 40 g total)
- 3 mulato chiles, stems removed and seeds shaken out (about 30 g total)
- 2 pasilla chiles, stems removed and seeds shaken out (about 20 g total)
- 2 small corn tortillas, torn (about 40 g)
- 2 slices stale white bread or bolillo, torn (about 50 g)
- 1 small ripe plantain, peeled and sliced (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil for toasting/frying
- 1 medium white onion, halved and roasted or charred
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup (35 g) blanched almonds
- 2 tbsp (20 g) sesame seeds, plus 1 tbsp (10 g) for garnish
- 1 tsp (2 g) coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) whole cloves (about 3 cloves)
- 1 stick cinnamon, 2–3 inches (5–8 g)
- 2 medium tomatoes, roasted or charred (about 10 oz / 300 g)
- 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock, plus more as needed
- 1 oz (28 g) unsweetened dark chocolate (60–70% cacao)
- 1–2 tbsp (12–24 g) piloncillo or brown sugar, to taste
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar or lime juice
- Salt to taste
- Toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare chiles: in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast each dried chile briefly, turning, until fragrant but not burned, about 30–60 seconds per side. Place toasted chiles in a bowl and cover with very hot water; soak 20–30 minutes until softened. Drain and reserve soaking liquid.
2. Brown the chicken: season chicken with 1 tsp (5 g) salt. In a heavy pot, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken pieces on both sides until golden, 6–8 minutes total. Remove chicken and set aside. Pour off excess fat, leaving a thin coating for flavor.
3. Toast and fry aromatics: in the same skillet, toast almonds, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, and cinnamon stick until fragrant, about 2–3 minutes, then remove. Fry torn tortillas, bread, and plantain slices in 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil until crisp and golden; drain on paper towels.
4. Roast tomatoes, onion, and garlic on a hot griddle or under a broiler until blackened in spots. Peel garlic.
5. Combine sauce solids: in a blender, add drained softened chiles, toasted seeds and nuts, fried tortillas/bread/plantain, roasted tomatoes, roasted onion, roasted garlic, and about 1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock. Add the reserved chile soaking liquid a little at a time as needed to help blend. Blend until completely smooth, working in batches if necessary. Add more stock to reach a thick pouring consistency.
6. Strain the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing to extract as much as possible. Discard solids left in the sieve.
7. Simmer and finish sauce: bring the strained sauce to a gentle simmer, add the chocolate and piloncillo or brown sugar, and simmer slowly, stirring frequently, for 20–30 minutes so flavors meld and the sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning with salt and 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar or lime juice. If sauce is too thick, add more chicken stock to reach desired consistency.
8. Final cook with chicken: return the browned chicken to the sauce, spooning sauce over pieces. Simmer gently, covered, for 25–35 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender, turning pieces once to coat.
9. Serve: arrange chicken on a platter and spoon additional mole over the top. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro if desired. Serve with steamed rice and warm tortillas.