Mole Poblano

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This authentic Mole Poblano is rich, complex, and deeply rooted in tradition. It’s a true celebration of Mexican cuisine. Once you try making it from scratch, you’ll understand why it’s considered one of the most iconic dishes in the world. This article will simplify the complicated process by giving step-by-step instructions/photos so that you can confidently make this authentic Mexican dish!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 45

Servings

Calories 347kcal

Author Alexandria Drzazgowski

Equipment

Food Processor
Large Pot

Ingredients

8 cups water
½ tablespoon salt
1 white onion divided
8 garlic cloves divided
2 bay leaves
2 –3 lbs bone-in skin-off chicken
5 mulato chiles
6 pasilla chiles
3 chipotle chiles
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
¾ tsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp peppercorns
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup raisins
8 galletas Marias
1 ripe plantain sliced
¼ cup almonds
¼ cup peanuts
¼ cup pecans
2 tbsp pepitas
1 corn tortilla
1 Mexican hot chocolate drink tablet such as Chocolate Ibarra (start with half)
2 oz piloncillo about ¼ cone
Lard or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Fill a large pot with 8 cups water and bring it to a boil.
Add ½ tablespoon salt, ½ of the onion, 3 garlic cloves, and 2 bay leaves. Add 2 –3 lbs bone-in chicken and cook for about 25 minutes, or until fully cooked. Skin any foam off the top of the water while the chicken is cooking.
When the chicken is done cooking, remove the chicken and set aside, reserving the broth.
Remove the stems and seeds from the 5 mulato chiles, 6 pasilla chiles, and 3 chipotle chiles and reserve the seeds. Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly toast the chiles for about 10–20 seconds per side until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
Transfer the chiles to a bowl and cover with warm water. Let them soak for 15–20 minutes until softened.
In the same dry skillet, toast 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, ¾ tsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp peppercorns, and 1 tsp of the reserved chili seeds until fragrant. Remove from the pan.
Place the whole spices in a spice grinder and blend until they ground.
Dry toast ¼ cup sesame seeds until lightly golden and remove.
Add about 3 cups of the reserved chicken broth to a food processor. Set aside, and after you prepare each ingredient, place them in the food processor.
Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet over medium heat. Fry ¼ cup raisins until they puff up, then remove them and place in the food processor.
Fry 8 galletas Marias until lightly toasted, then remove them and place in the food processor.
Fry 1 ripe plantain slices until lightly caramelized, then remove them and place in the food processor.
Doing each nut separately, fry ¼ cup almonds, ¼ cup peanuts, ¼ cup pecans, and 2 tbsp pepitas until lightly browned and fragrant, then remove them and place in the food processor.
Toast 1 corn tortilla in the skillet until crisp and put in the food processor.
Lightly char the remaining ½ onion and place it in the food processor.
Lightly fry the remaining 5 garlic cloves until fragrant. Transfer everything to the food processor.
Drain the soaked chiles and add them to the food processor along with the toasted spices, and ¾ of the toasted sesame seeds. Blend until completely smooth.
Heat about ½ cup of vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Carefully pour the blended mole sauce into the pot and stir constantly over low heat as it begins to thicken.
Once the sauce has heated up, add 1 Mexican hot chocolate drink tablet and 2 oz piloncillo, stirring until they melt completely.
Bring the mole to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add another ½ - 1 cup of chicken broth to the sauce if it gets too thick too quickly. For deeper flavor, it can simmer for up to 2–3 hours. Season with salt to taste.
Plate the warm, unsauced chicken, and then pour the mole sauce over the top.
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with rice and tortillas. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational and personal use only.

Recipe researched using Cooking con Claudia , epicurious, views on the road.

Bone in, skinless chicken: You can use legs or thighs. The bone adds extra depth of flavor.
Plantain: Make sure to use a plantain that has black or brown spots on it, as this means it is ripening and will be softer and sweeter for your sauce. Green plantains will add a totally different flavor profile and are not recommended.
Spices: Use whole spices if you can. Pre-ground spices lose a lot of flavor, so using the seeds makes the addition of spices a lot more pungent. In a pinch, you can use ground spices!
Mexican chocolate: Mexican chocolate is unique in that it is not overly sweet. It adds richness and depth to the sauce. I used Chocolate Ibarra and used one full disk in this recipe.
Piloncillo: Add more or less depending on preference.
Galletas Marias: If you can’t find them, animal crackers are a great substitute and work similarly to thicken the sauce. I have also seen people use bread.
Do not burn the chiles. Burnt chiles will make the sauce bitter. Toast just until fragrant and slightly puffed. You can tell they are perfectly toasted when bubbles form on the surface that are the same color that the chili would be if it was un-dried.
Keep your heat moderate. If your pan is smoking, it’s too hot.
Fry ingredients in batches. This builds layers of flavor that make the mole rich and complex. Make sure to add more vegetable oil as you go and allow it to warm up before continuing on to the next step!
Customize your mole. Some variations include ingredients like apples for added sweetness, herbs like yerba buena, or vegetables like carrots or celery in the broth.

Nutrition