How to Make Delicious Chicken Mole

Are you tired of eating the same old chicken dishes? Want to spice things up in the kitchen? Why not try making chicken mole? This traditional Mexican dish is a perfect combination of chocolate and spices. Don’t worry, making mole is easier than you think, and with a little bit of effort you can impress your friends and family with a restaurant-quality meal.

To make chicken mole, you will need a variety of ingredients, including chicken, chili peppers, onions, garlic, almonds, raisins, and of course, chocolate. The key to making a tasty mole is to take your time and let the flavors develop over several hours. Don’t rush the process, as this is a slow-cooking dish that requires patience but is worth the wait. Follow our step-by-step instructions, and you will be on your way to making a delicious and memorable chicken mole.

Introduction:

Are you in the mood for a delicious and hearty Mexican dish? Look no further than chicken mole! This rich and savory sauce made with a blend of spices, chocolate, and other ingredients is the perfect pairing for tender chicken. Don’t be intimidated by the complexity of the recipe – with a little patience and attention to detail, you can make a homemade chicken mole that will rival any restaurant. In this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to create this flavorful dish.

Ingredients

To make chicken mole, you’ll need a variety of ingredients, many of which you may already have in your pantry. Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Chicken: You can use whole chicken, chicken thighs, or chicken breasts – whichever you prefer.
2. Dried chiles: Depending on the recipe, you may need a variety of dried chiles, such as ancho, guajillo, pasilla, or mulato.
3. Mole sauce: You can make the chicken mole sauce from scratch using ingredients such as onions, garlic, chicken broth, chocolate, and spices. Or, you can purchase pre-made mole sauce to save time.
4. Spices: You’ll need a blend of spices, such as cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and oregano.
5. Nuts: Many mole recipes call for nuts, such as almonds, peanuts, or sesame seeds.
6. Raisins: This ingredient adds a touch of sweetness to the dish.
7. Tortillas: Serve your chicken mole with warm tortillas for a classic Mexican meal.
8. Rice: Pile a serving of chicken mole on top of a bed of rice for a filling and satisfying meal.
9. Garnish: Fresh cilantro or chopped onions make a great finishing touch to this flavorful dish.
10. Cooking oil: Use a neutral-flavored oil, such as vegetable or canola, to cook the chicken and sauté the mole sauce ingredients.

Preparing the Chicken

Before you start cooking the mole sauce, you’ll need to prepare the chicken. Depending on the recipe, you may need to season the chicken with salt and pepper or other spices. Then, you’ll need to cook the chicken. There are a few different ways to do this:

1. Bake the chicken: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Place the chicken in a baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Grill the chicken: Preheat your grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Pan-fry the chicken: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Once the chicken is cooked, set it aside and let it cool slightly. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces using a fork or your hands.

Preparing the Mole Sauce

Now that the chicken is cooked, it’s time to make the mole sauce. The exact ingredients and steps will vary depending on the recipe you’re following, but here are some general guidelines:

1. Toast the chiles: Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the dried chiles and toast them for about 30 seconds on each side, or until they become fragrant.
2. Soak the chiles: Remove the chiles from the skillet and place them in a bowl. Cover the chiles with hot water and let them soak for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re soft.
3. Blend the chiles: Drain the chiles and remove the stems and seeds. Place the chiles in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Sauté the vegetables: In a large skillet or saucepan, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add diced onions and minced garlic, and sauté until the onions are translucent.
5. Add the chile paste: Pour the blended chile paste into the skillet or saucepan with the onions and garlic. Add chicken broth and other ingredients, such as spices, nuts, and raisins. Stir to combine.
6. Simmer the sauce: Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20-30 minutes. The sauce should be thick and rich.
7. Add the chocolate: After the sauce has simmered for a while, add chopped chocolate and stir until it’s melted and fully incorporated.
8. Blend the sauce (optional): For a smoother sauce, you can blend it using an immersion blender or by transferring it to a blender or food processor. Be careful when blending hot liquids – you may need to let the sauce cool slightly before blending.

Combining the Chicken and Mole Sauce

Once the mole sauce is complete, it’s time to combine it with the shredded chicken. Here’s how:

1. Add the chicken to the sauce: Place the shredded chicken into the sauce and stir to completely coat the chicken with the mole sauce.
2. Simmer the chicken and sauce: Let the chicken and mole sauce simmer together for 5-10 minutes. This will help infuse the chicken with the rich flavors of the mole sauce.
3. Serve the chicken mole: Once the chicken and mole sauce are heated through, it’s ready to serve! You can serve the chicken mole with warm tortillas, rice, and your choice of garnish.

Tips for Making Delicious Chicken Mole

Making chicken mole can be a bit time-consuming and complex, but the results are well worth the effort. Here are a few tips to help you create a delicious and authentic chicken mole:

1. Use high-quality ingredients: The flavor of your chicken mole will depend largely on the quality of your ingredients. Choose fresh, high-quality produce, and use good-quality chocolate and spices.
2. Toast the chiles: This step is important for bringing out the flavor of the dried chiles. Make sure not to burn them, though!
3. Use a variety of chiles: Using a blend of dried chiles will give your mole sauce a more complex and nuanced flavor.
4. Simmer the sauce for a while: The longer you let the mole sauce simmer, the richer and more flavorful it will become.
5. Adjust the seasoning: Taste the sauce as you go and adjust the seasoning as needed. You may need to add more salt, sugar, or other spices.
6. Experiment with garnishes: Fresh cilantro, chopped onions, sliced avocado, or crumbled queso fresco can all make great garnishes for chicken mole.

Conclusion

Chicken mole is a classic Mexican dish that’s perfect for a hearty and comforting meal. With a little patience and attention to detail, you can make a homemade chicken mole that’s rich, savory, and bursting with flavor. Whether you’re cooking for a special occasion or just want to try something new, chicken mole is sure to impress. Use our tips and guidelines to help you create a delicious and authentic chicken mole that you’ll love!

Mole is a rich and flavorful Mexican sauce made with a blend of spices, nuts, chocolate, and a variety of other ingredients. Chicken mole is a classic Mexican dish that pairs tender chicken pieces with the complex and delicious mole sauce. In this section, we’ll explore how to make chicken mole from scratch, with all the necessary steps and ingredients.

Ingredients

To make chicken mole, you’ll need a variety of ingredients, including:

1. Chicken pieces – You can use bone-in or boneless chicken pieces, make sure the chicken is skinless
2. Dried chiles – A combination of dried ancho, pasilla, and guajillo chiles is commonly used
3. Spices – Cinnamon, cumin, cloves, coriander, and oregano
4. Nuts and seeds – Almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sesames seeds are traditionally used
5. Chocolate – Mexican chocolate is the best choice, but you can use any dark chocolate
6. Vegetables – Onion, garlic, tomatoes, and tomatillos
7. Broth – Chicken broth or vegetable broth
8. Oil – Neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil
9. Sugar – To balance the flavors
10. Salt – For seasoning

Preparing the Ingredients

Before you start making the mole sauce, you need to prepare the ingredients. Follow these steps:

1. Clean and pat dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel.
2. Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chiles, then toast them in a dry skillet until fragrant. Soak them in hot water for 20 minutes.
3. Roast the nuts and seeds in a dry skillet until golden brown, then set them aside.
4. Cut the onion into quarters, chop the garlic, and roast them in the same skillet until charred.
5. Roast the tomatoes and tomatillos in the same skillet until charred.
6. Melt the chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat, then set aside.

Making the Sauce

Now that you have all the ingredients ready, it’s time to make the mole sauce. Follow these steps:

1. Drain the soaked chiles and add them to a blender along with the toasted nuts and seeds, roasted vegetables, and spices. Puree until smooth.
2. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown them on both sides. Remove and set aside.
3. Add the pureed sauce to the same pot and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the chicken broth, sugar, and salt to the pot, and bring the sauce to a simmer.
5. Add the browned chicken pieces back to the pot, covering them with the mole sauce.
6. Cover the pot and let the chicken cook in the sauce for 30-40 minutes over low heat.
7. Once the chicken is fully cooked, check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
8. Serve the chicken mole hot, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped cilantro.

Conclusion

Making chicken mole from scratch may seem daunting at first, but it’s a rewarding process that yields an incredibly flavorful and hearty dish. Remember to take your time and enjoy the process. With the right ingredients, a few cooking techniques, and some patience, you can make a delicious pot of chicken mole that will impress any dinner guest. So why not give it a try?

Ingredients and Preparation

Making chicken mole requires a range of ingredients, some of which may not be familiar to everyone. Here’s what you’ll need:

Before you start cooking, you’ll need to prepare some of the ingredients:

– Toast the ancho chiles, pasilla chiles, and chipotle chiles in a dry frying pan until they’re fragrant, then remove the stems and seeds.
– Soak the toasted chiles in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain.
– Toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until they’re golden brown.
– Fry the tortillas in hot oil until they’re crispy.

Once you’ve prepared your ingredients, you’re ready to start cooking.

Step 1: Cook the chicken

Cut the chicken into pieces and season them with salt. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven, then add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.

Step 2: Make the sauce

In the same pot, add the onion, garlic, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Cook until the onion is translucent. Add the toasted chiles, cocoa powder, almonds, raisins, and sesame seeds. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Blend the sauce

Remove the cinnamon stick from the pot. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend the sauce until it’s smooth.

Step 4: Finish cooking the chicken

Return the chicken to the pot and pour the sauce over it. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for another 20-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Step 5: Serve

Serve the chicken mole hot, garnished with chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, and a squeeze of lime juice. Traditionally, it’s served with rice and beans on the side.

Making chicken mole takes some time and effort, but the end result is a delicious and complex dish that’s perfect for any special occasion. Try making it yourself and discover why it’s one of Mexico’s most beloved dishes.

Enjoy Your Delicious Chicken Mole!

Now that you know how to make a mouth-watering chicken mole, it’s time to put your culinary skills to the test and impress your friends and family! Don’t forget to thank me later for this easy and delicious recipe. I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it helpful. Stay tuned for more great cooking tips and recipes, and be sure to visit us again soon! Happy cooking!