Easy Chicken Mole is achieved by using a store-bought Mole paste and roasted chicken. I am working my way up creating the Mole sauce from scratch someday with the help from my cousin Mondo who learned it from his mother.
Authentic Mole requires over 20 special ingredients including dried chili peppers, spices, nuts, raisins and chocolate. Many steps are involved (toasting, grinding, soaking, frying) to achieve that deep, smoky, earthy, sweet, bitter, spicy dark sauce. No single flavor stand out. The combined flavors create a unique taste that is lip-smacking to eat. Authentic Mole require toasting the specialty dried peppers such as poblano and ancho, usually done outside over a very hot cast iron pan or grill. The toasted peppers are ground with a list of other ingredients and made into a paste. Chicken stock is added to thin it out, and eventually a disc of Mexican chocolate is melted in for that extra bitter sweet flavor. Traditionally, chicken parts are boiled with onion and vegetables to make a stock. The boiled chicken is simmered in the Mole sauce. The Chicken Mole is served with rice. Each region of Mexico and family has its own recipe for Mole. I hope to learn more about this wonderful dish and get to try many variations.
My Easy Chicken Mole Recipe is the Americanized cheaters way, but very tasty. I was able to find a homemade Poblano Mole Paste at our local ethnic grocer, Valli Produce. It was a deep, reddish brown and smelled fabulous.
It did not come with instructions on the package. The clerk told me to just add chicken broth until it comes to a nice consistency. The two cups of paste required about 3-4 cups of chicken stock to get to a rich sauce.
I simply roasted bone-in chicken the oven until just-done. Couldn’t been easier and no mess.
Make the rice while the chicken is cooking. Add 1/2 cup frozen peas to the rice for color. Finally, simmer the roasted chicken in the Mole Sauce for another 10 minutes to absorb the flavor. Serve the Roasted Chicken coated in Mole with a Sesame Seed Garnish and White Rice & Peas.
We got another meal out of the Easy Chicken Mole – Quesadillas! I pulled the Mole Chicken off the bones and layered between 2 tortillas with Mexican cheeses. Serve the quesadillas with more Mole sauce on the side for dipping, and guacamole.
Easy Chicken Mole
Ingredients
- 2 cups store-bought Mole paste
- 3 - 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken breasts
- 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs and legs
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 400° degrees
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Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and remove any excess skin.
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Place the chicken in a roasting pan, skin-side up. Roast for 35 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees. Roast another 15 minutes or until the internal temperature of the breast is 160 degrees and the juices run clear. The skin will be crispy but not dark brown.
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While the chicken is baking, heat a large skillet on the stovetop over medium low heat. Add canola oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the Mole paste and break up with a wooden spoon. Add one cup of chicken stock at a time and whisk to blend in, smoothing out any lumps. Continue adding chicken stock a cup at a time until it reaches a thick, pourable, smooth sauce. It will take between 3 and 4 cups of stock in total. Keep stirring over medium low heat until the chicken is ready.
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Transfer the roasted chicken to the skillet with the mole sauce. Turn the pieces over to coat all sides and simmer over medium heat for another 10 minutes.
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Garnish with sesame seeds.
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Serve with white rice with peas and tortillas.
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Note: No salt or pepper was added seasoning was already in the Mole sauce.
Try Rick Bayless’ recipe for Mole Coloradito Enchiladas. Tried it this rainy cold Sunday and it was awesome.
Sounds wonderful! His restaurant just won the top award at 2017 James Beard event!. I will give it a try.