Chicken Mole Recipe
This recipe is not for the faint of heart, as it takes quite a bit of preparation. However, it is definitely worth the effort and the result is as good a savory dish using chocolate as you could ever find.
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Ingredients
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​Chicken Thighs (2 Per Person)
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4 Dried Guajillo Chilies
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4 Dried Pasilla Chilies
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4 Cups Chicken Stock
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2 Cups Boiling Water (for soaking the chilies)
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1 12-oz Can Tomatoes
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6 Tomatillos
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8 Cloves Garlic
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1 large White Onion
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½ Cup Raisins
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1 Corn Tortilla
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½ Cup Raw Skinned Peanuts
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½ Cup Raw Skinned Almonds
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½ Cup Sesame Seeds
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½ Cup Mexican Drinking Chocolate (or 80% Dark Chocolate)
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4 Cloves
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4 All Spice Berries
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1 Stick Canela (Cinnamon)
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4 Black Peppercorns
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1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
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1 Tbsp Dried Thyme
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1 Tsp Salt
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1 Tsp White Pepper
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¼ Cup Lard (I rendered my own from some pork skin, but you can use shop bought)
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Instructions
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Preparing the Chili Paste:
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Split the dried chilies. Remove the seeds but do not throw them away, and keep them for later.
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Place the chilies on a dry frying pan or griddle and toast them on both sides until they colour but do not burn.
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Cover the chilies with 2 cups of boiling water and leave to soften for thirty minutes.
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Blend the chilies with a little of their soaking liquid until the form a paste.
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Pass through a sieve to remove all the skins and leave a smooth paste.
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Set aside.
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Onions:
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Roast the onions and garlic in the skins. Peel and set aside to cool.
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Preparing the "Tomato" Paste:
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Dice the tomatillo and add to the tomatoes in a saucepan with a little oil.
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Add the oregano and thyme.
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Add the salt & pepper (to taste).
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Add the raisins.
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Cook this until almost all the liquid has evaporated.
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Add the peeled onions and garlic.
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Blend with a little of the soaking liquid from the chilies and pass through a sieve to make a smooth “tomato” paste.
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Preparing the Nut/Seed/Spice Mixture:
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Toast the Allspice, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns in a dry frying pan and then grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
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Toast the chili seeds in a dry frying pan. Set aside.
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Toast the peanuts, sesame seeds and almonds in a dry frying pan. Set aside.
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Toast a torn corn tortilla in a dry frying pan.
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Add the toasted chili seeds and tortilla to the nuts and grind them all to a fine powder.
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Add the spice mixture to the nut/seed/tortilla mixture and mix to a fine paste with the remaining soaking liquid from the chilies. You may want to blend this one more time to make a really smooth paste.
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Preparing the Mole:
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Add three tbsp of lard to a large saucepan.
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When it begins to smoke, add the "Tomato" Paste.
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Reduce to a low heat and cook slowly until it begins to darken in colour. This may take about ten minutes.
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Add the Nut/Seed/Spice Mixture and combine thoroughly.
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Cook on a low heat until you see the spices begin to release their oils on the surface of the liquid.
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Add the Chili Paste and combine well.
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Cook for a further ten minutes until the Chili Paste is totally combined.
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Add the chicken stock and cook on a low heat for twenty minutes or until the sauce has reduced by at least half.
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Pass through a sieve one final time to make sure you have a silky smooth, glossy end result.
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Place the sauce back in the pan and add the grated Mexican chocolate.
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Cook on a low heat until the chocolate has melted.
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Preparing the chicken:
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While the Mole is cooking, skin the chicken thighs and bake until cooked.
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Putting the dish together:
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When ready to serve, place two chicken thighs on each plate and cover totally with Mole.
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Serve with rice and lots of hot corn tortillas.
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