The First Bite That Changed Everything
The first time I tasted mole poblano, it was love at first bite. Warm, spicy, and sweet, it hugged my tongue like a cozy blanket. The toasted sesame seeds added a crunch that made me close my eyes and sigh. Ever wondered how you could turn Rich Mole Poblano Chicken with Toasted Spices into something unforgettable? It’s all in the layers—like a story told one spoonful at a time. Share your first mole memory in the comments!My Mole Mishap (And Why It Was Worth It)
My first attempt at mole was messy. I burned the chiles and panicked, thinking I’d ruined everything. But my grandma laughed and said, “Cooking is fixing mistakes with love.” The dish still turned out rich and deep. Home cooking isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing up, even when things go sideways. Have you ever saved a dish from disaster? Tell me how!Why This Mole Stands Out
– The toasted spices and nuts create a earthy, nutty base that feels like comfort in a bowl. – Chocolate and plantain add a sweet twist, balancing the heat from the chiles. Which flavor combo surprises you most? Is it the chocolate or the crunchy sesame finish? Vote in the comments!A Dish Steeped in History
Mole poblano hails from Puebla, Mexico, where nuns invented it in the 1600s. They mixed local chiles with Spanish spices to create magic. *Did you know mole can have over 20 ingredients?* It’s a labor of love, meant for celebrations. What’s your favorite dish to make for special occasions?
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Whole raw chicken, cut into pieces (or chicken leg quarters) | 1 whole (or 4-5 leg quarters) | bone in, skin on |
| Water | 8 cups (1.9 liters) | |
| Onion, roughly chopped | ¼ onion | |
| Garlic | 3 cloves | |
| Bay leaves | 2 | |
| Salt | 2 teaspoons | |
| Dried oregano | 1 teaspoon | |
| Chicken bouillon (powder or paste) | 1 Tablespoon | |
| Dried pasilla chiles | 6 | |
| Dried mulato or guajillo chiles | 6 | |
| Dried ancho chiles | 5 | |
| Sesame seeds | ½ cup (71g) | divided |
| Raw almonds | ¼ cup (36g) | |
| Raw shelled peanuts | ¼ cup (36g) | |
| Raisins | ¼ cup (37g) | |
| Animal crackers | ½ cup (60g) | |
| Corn tortilla | 1 | |
| White bread, French bread, or bolillo roll | 2 slices (or small roll cut in half) | |
| White onion, sliced | ½ onion | |
| Garlic | 4 cloves | |
| Whole cloves | 5 | |
| Whole black peppercorns | 5 | |
| Whole coriander seeds | 1 teaspoon | |
| Whole cumin seeds | 1 teaspoon | |
| Whole aniseed | ¼ teaspoon | |
| Crushed red pepper flakes | ¼-½ teaspoon | |
| Ripe plantain (or banana) | 1 | peeled, sliced into ½-inch pieces |
| Dried oregano | 1 teaspoon | |
| Ground cinnamon | ¼ teaspoon | |
| Chicken bouillon paste | 1 ½ teaspoons | |
| Salt | To taste | |
| Mexican chocolate (or semi-sweet/bittersweet) | 2 ounces | chopped |
| Brown sugar | 1-4 Tablespoons | to taste |
| Reserved chicken broth | As needed | |
| Oil or lard | 2 Tablespoons | |
| Oil | For frying |
How to Make Rich Mole Poblano Chicken
Step 1 Cook the chicken with garlic, onion, and spices in water. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Save the broth for later. Keep chicken warm. (Hard-learned tip: Don’t overcook the chicken—it’ll dry out.)
Step 2 Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet. Stir often to avoid burning. Set aside. Add water to a saucepan for later use.
Step 3 Cut chiles open and remove seeds. Fry them briefly in oil. Transfer to the saucepan with water. They’ll soften as they soak.
Step 4 Fry peanuts, almonds, raisins, and crackers one by one. Add each to the saucepan. Press them down to soak up flavor.
Step 5 Fry onion, garlic, and plantain until golden. Add to the pot. Toast spices in the same pan for extra depth.
Step 6 Blend everything with chicken broth until smooth. Strain the sauce into a pot with melted lard. Stir in chocolate and sugar.
Step 7 Simmer the mole sauce for 30–60 minutes. Adjust thickness with broth. Taste and add salt or sugar as needed.
Step 8 Serve chicken topped with mole sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds. Pair with rice and tortillas for a full meal. What’s your favorite way to use leftover mole sauce? Share below!
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Category: Dinner, Mexican
Creative Twists on Mole Poblano
Vegetarian Mole Swap chicken for roasted sweet potatoes and mushrooms. Use veggie broth instead of chicken broth. Just as rich and tasty.
Spicy Kick Add extra guajillo chiles or a dash of cayenne. Perfect for heat lovers. Balance it with extra chocolate.
Fall-Inspired Mole Stir in pumpkin puree and a pinch of nutmeg. Cozy and seasonal. Great over turkey or squash. Which twist would you try first? Vote in the comments!
Serving Ideas for Mole Poblano
Pair with cilantro-lime rice and warm corn tortillas. Top with avocado slices for creaminess. *Fun fact: Mole has over 20 ingredients!* Drink pairing: A cold Mexican lager or horchata. Both cut through the richness. Simple and satisfying. Which would you choose tonight—beer or horchata?
Storing and Reheating Your Mole
Let’s keep that mole tasting fresh. Store cooled sauce in airtight containers for 5 days in the fridge. Freeze extra portions for up to 3 months—thaw overnight before reheating. *Fun fact: Mole tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.* Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen. Batch-cook tip: Double the sauce and freeze half for busy nights. Who else loves a freezer stash?Fixes for Common Mole Hiccups
Ran into trouble? Here’s how to save your mole. Too thick? Thin it with reserved broth or warm water. Burnt chiles? Scoop out burnt bits, blend fresh ones with broth. Sauce too bitter? Balance with extra chocolate or a pinch of sugar. Why this matters: Small tweaks make big flavor differences. Share your mole rescue stories below—we’ve all been there!Your Mole Questions Answered
Q: Can I make this gluten-free?
A: Yes! Swap bread and animal crackers for gluten-free versions or corn tortillas.
Q: How far ahead can I prep?
A: Make sauce 3 days ahead; store separately from chicken.
Q: Any nut swaps?
A: Try pumpkin seeds if allergic to peanuts or almonds.
Q: Can I halve the recipe?
A: Absolutely—just use a smaller pot.
Q: What if I can’t find all the chiles?
A: Use what you have—mole is forgiving. Why this matters: Flexibility keeps traditions alive.
Share Your Mole Masterpiece
Nothing makes me happier than seeing your kitchen wins. Did your family beg for seconds? Tag@SpoonSway on Pinterest—I’d love to feature your dish. Happy cooking! —Sarah Cooper.
Rich Mole Poblano Chicken with Toasted Spices
Description
Experience the rich and complex flavors of traditional Mexican Mole Poblano with this recipe featuring tender chicken and a blend of toasted spices, chiles, and chocolate.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook Chicken: Add chicken, garlic, onion, bay leaf, chicken bouillon, salt, oregano and water to pot. Bring to a low boil and cook over medium heat until chicken is just cooked through, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate, reserving the broth, cover to keep it warm and set aside.
- Toast sesame seeds in a large dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until toasted. Be careful not to burn them. Set aside.
- Add 2 cups of water to a large saucepan over medium-low heat. (You will transfer toasted ingredients to this pot, as you toast them.)
- Toast Chiles: Use scissors to cut a line down all the chilies to open them up flat. Remove veins and seeds. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add chiles in a single layer, frying on both sides for just a few seconds, careful not to burn them. Transfer them to saucepan of water.
- Pan fry ingredients: We will pan fry most of the remaining ingredients, one at a time, so add a little oil between each batch, as needed, to coat the bottom of the pan. Fry the peanuts stirring often so they toast but don’t burn, about 45 seconds. Add to the pot. Repeat with almonds, then raisins, then animal crackers, then corn tortilla, and bread slices, adding each to the saucepan and pressing down as much as possible into the water.
- Turn skillet heat to medium-high and add more oil if needed to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onion and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and fry for just a few seconds before spooning the onion and garlic into the pot. Add sliced plantain to the hot oil and fry on both sides, then add to the pot.
- Reduce heat to medium and add peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, anise, and crushed red pepper to hot oil and fry for a few seconds, stirring constantly, then add to the pot.
- To the saucepan with all of the ingredients, stir in 1 teaspoon oregano, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 ½ teaspoons chicken bouillon.
- Blend: Working in batches, add everything from the pot with the chilies to a blender and add enough of the reserved chicken broth to allow the mixture to blend. During one of the blending batches, add ¼ cup of reserved toasted sesame seeds. Blend each batch for several minutes, until completely smooth, adding more chicken broth if needed.
- Heat 2 tablespoons lard or oil to a large saucepan. Once melted, remove from heat and set aside.
- Strain: Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer (discarding what’s leftover in the strainer) into the pot with the melted lard.
- Melt chocolate: Add the chopped chocolate to a bowl and pour some of the chicken broth into it, to help it melt. Add to pot, along with 1 Tablespoon brown sugar, to start, then more to taste, as needed.
- Cook mole sauce over medium-low heat for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring often. If the mixture is too thick, add more chicken broth (I usually end up using all of the remaining chicken broth). Taste and add salt or sugar, as needed.
- Serve: Place chicken on a plate and ladle a big spoonful of sauce on top. Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with Mexican rice and warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas on the side.
Notes
- For a smoother mole, strain the sauce twice. Adjust sweetness and spice levels to your preference.
Mole, Poblano, Chicken, Mexican, Spices, Chocolate