Pollo en mole poblano – chicken in chocolate mole sauce Recipe
Pollo en mole poblano is one of Mexico’s most famous dishes – chicken in a thick, dark sauce made from chili, spices and dark chocolate. It may sound strange, but the flavour is deep, slightly sweet, spicy and very aromatic, a bit like a cross between a stew and a dessert. In Mexico mole often appears at family celebrations and holidays, because making the sauce requires some attention.
Pollo en mole poblano is the festive heart of the cuisine around Puebla – the sauce, in which chili, spices, nuts, bread, raisins and dark chocolate come together, gives a depth of flavour comparable to a good stew after a few days. This dish surprises with contrast: gentle sweetness and chocolate bitterness meet the smoky heat of chili and the intense umami of chicken stock. Every bite tastes a little different, with background notes of cinnamon, sesame and toasted almonds.
Chef's tips
The key to a successful mole is heat control: toast the chili peppers only until they become very fragrant – if you burn them, the sauce will be unpleasantly bitter. Adjust the consistency with stock: the sauce should be as thick as heavy cream, but still fluid enough to easily coat the chicken pieces. Add the chocolate gradually, tasting each time – different brands vary in sweetness and cocoa strength, so it’s easy to overdo it.
How to serve
The most classic way to serve mole is with white rice and warm tortillas that mop up every last trace of sauce from the plate. To drink, a dry medium-bodied red wine (such as tempranillo) or a dark beer with caramel notes works very well. It’s a great dish for a family Sunday lunch or a home celebration – you can make the sauce a day ahead and on the day just reheat it and finish with the chicken.
Ingredients
- chicken leg with or without skin, about 1.2 kg total - 6 piece
- chicken stock - 800 ml
- onion diced - 1 piece
- garlic chopped - 4 cloves
- dried chili pepper e.g. ancho, guajillo; stems and seeds removed - 3 piece
- canned tomatoes chopped - 200 g
- almonds blanched, whole or flaked - 30 g
- sesame seeds 1 tablespoon for the sauce, 1 tablespoon for sprinkling - 2 tablespoons
- wheat bread toasted or stale, crusts removed - 1 slice
- raisins - 2 tablespoons
- unsweetened cocoa powder - 1 tablespoon
- dark chocolate at least 60% cocoa - 40 g
- ground cinnamon - 0.5 teaspoons
- ground cumin - 0.5 teaspoons
- vegetable oil for frying - 4 tablespoons
- salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Brown the legs on both sides for 4–5 minutes, until the skin (if using) is golden. Remove the meat to a plate.
- Pour the stock into the pot, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, then return the chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook covered for 30–35 minutes, until the meat is tender and comes away from the bone easily.
- Meanwhile, toast the dried chili peppers in a dry pan for 1–2 minutes on each side over medium heat, until they darken slightly and become very fragrant but do not burn (they must not turn black). Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and set aside for 10 minutes to soften.
- In the same pan toast the almonds and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until lightly golden and nutty. Transfer to a plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the pan, add the onion and fry for 4–5 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Add the garlic and fry for another minute, stirring.
- Add the canned tomatoes, raisins and crumbled slice of bread. Cook for 5–7 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Put the soaked chili peppers (without the soaking water), the fried mixture from the pan, the toasted almonds and sesame seeds, cocoa, cinnamon and cumin into a blender. Pour in about 200 ml of hot stock from the pot with the chicken. Blend to a smooth, thick sauce; if necessary, add a little more stock to help the blender work.
- In a large pan or wide pot heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Pour in the blended sauce carefully, as it may splatter. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce thickens slightly and starts to pull away gently from the bottom.
- Add the chocolate to the sauce and stir until completely melted. Add enough stock from the pot with the chicken so the sauce has the consistency of thick cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the cooked chicken legs to the mole sauce and gently coat them in it. Simmer together over low heat for another 10–15 minutes so the meat absorbs the flavour of the sauce.
- Serve the chicken generously covered with sauce and sprinkled with the remaining sesame seeds, preferably with rice or tortillas.
Storage
Store leftover chicken in sauce in a closed container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of stock or water if the sauce has thickened too much.
