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    Home » Most Recent

    Mole Poblano Recipe

    December 11, 2020 By Patrick 12 Comments

    580 shares
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    Has it all come full circle?!

    I've been fiddling with Mole Poblano for the past few weeks and it's taken me all the way back to this spot:

    restaurant menu board cozumel mexico

    Cozumel, Mexico - Photo by Chloe Miller

    That's the awesomely chaotic menu board at a comida corrida in Cozumel, about half a block from where I lived.

    See that Pollo Mole on the top left?

    That's been my reference point for Mole Poblano ever since.   It was served over a roasted chicken breast and the flavor was completely new to me -- definitely a massive upgrade compared to the Mexican food I grew up with in the States.

    And I'm thrilled to finally have that unique, otherworldly flavor in my home kitchen 🙂 

    I didn't get close to that long lost Cozumel flavor until I got some Mulato chiles in the house. 

    Mulatos are similar to Anchos, but they're left on the vine a bit longer, eventually ripening to a darker brown color.   That additional time on the vine gives them a big, complex flavor that tastes familiar to me. 

    You can see the chiles' difference in color in this pic:

    Difference in color between an Ancho and a Mulato

    It's subtle but the reddish tint of the Ancho on the right is the dead giveaway.  You'll notice the color difference even more after you reconstitute them.

    Normally I'm quite flexible on dried chiles, but Mole Poblano is a bit different.  This Holy Trinity of dried chiles is the undeniable flavor base for the recipe and I don't think there are good substitutes for them. 

    So I think it's worth it to track down these chiles if you're going to spend an afternoon making this sauce.  Here are some good spots to buy dried chiles online.   For a Mole sauce that's a bit more flexible with the chile combo see the Mole Coloradito. 

    I'm using 8 oz. of dried chiles for this recipe.   

    Holy Trinity of dried chiles for Mole Poblano

    That equates to:

    5-6 Anchos
    5-6 Mulatos
    4-5 Pasillas

    FYI the first iterations of this recipe used 4 oz. of dried chiles, but their flavor was getting lost in the final product.  Over time I've decreased the competing flavors (tomatoes, seeds) and increased the dried chile amount to keep them as the star attraction. 

    That's why there's no fudging on the dried chile combo as the whole point is to keep their unique flavor at the forefront! 

    As usual, I start by de-stemming and de-seeding the dried chiles.  If there are dusty spots on the chiles you can wipe them off with a damp paper towel. 

    Dried chiles after being de-seeded and de-stemmed

    I like to give these a quick roast in the oven -- 1-2 minutes at 400F. 

    This will wake up some dormant flavors, and the oven makes it convenient for large batches of chiles.  Keep in mind that you can always flash roast them in a skillet for 15-30 seconds per side while pressing down with a spatula. 

    Roasting dried chiles in the oven at 400F

    Once roasted you can add them to a bowl, cover them with the hottest tap water you've got, and let them reconstitute for 20-30 minutes.

    I also plop the tomatoes in the oven for convenience, but you could roast these on the stovetop as well.

    Here's an easy way to make a delicious Lentils and Rice dish. You can go easy on the chipotle if you want a milder version. We used some homemade veggie stock and it was delish! mexicanplease.com 

    The tomatoes need about 25-30 minutes in the oven to fully roast, but I usually just grab 'em when I need 'em. 

    As the tomatoes roast you can start working on the other ingredients.  

    Roughly chop 1/2 onion and peel 6 garlic cloves, adding them to a medium-heat skillet along with a glug of oil. 

    Cooking onion and garlic for Mole Poblano

    Cook until the onion is starting to brown.  I usually just leave the garlic cloves whole knowing that all of this will be blended together eventually. 

    Once cooked you can put this mixture in a blender and start gathering the spices. 

    Here's what I used for this batch:

    Dry spices for Mole Poblano

    On the left in the above pic:

    1/3 cup sesame seeds
    8 whole cloves
    1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
    1/2 teaspoon aniseeds

    And on the right:

    1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
    1 teaspoon cinnamon

    I really like adding aniseed to this sauce as it gives the chile combo some real depth.  Aniseed has a distinct licorice flavor.  Difference between Aniseed and Star Anise. 

    I usually toast the sesame seeds and whole spices until the seeds are browning:

    Toasting whole spices

    And then add the ground spices and give 'em just a few seconds over the heat. 

    Then all of this gets combined in a spice grinder.   You could also use a molcajete or food processor to grind them into a fine powder.  

    Grinding up dried spices in a spice grinder

    By now the dried chiles will be reconstituted, but before you drain them be sure to take a taste of their soaking liquid:

    Taste the Dried Chiles soaking liquid graphic

    Some of you will like the earthy, astringent flavor of the soaking liquid — and some of you will think it tastes bitter. 

    It always tastes bitter to me, so I will typically use stock to liquefy Mole sauces.  You can consider this personal preference though — feel free to use the soaking liquid if it works for your palate. 

    Add the drained, reconstituted chiles to the blender along with a 2 cups of stock (or their soaking liquid).  The onion-garlic mixture should already be in the blender. 

    Adding reconstituted dried chiles to the blender

    Give it a good whirl.  You can always add more liquid if it's not combining readily.  You'll need around 4-5 cups for the entire recipe -- I usually just keep track of what I add during the blend and then add the rest for the simmer. 

    And now take a taste!

    If you're like me you'll be massively triggered by the flavor -- but in a good way!  It's such a rich, complex flavor and it's the heart and soul of this sauce. 

    Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender and give it a whirl.  And feel free to taste test along the way here -- it's awesome to see how the flavor develops as you add the remaining ingredients. 

    Next we'll add the finely ground spices along with:

    2 tablespoons raisins
    1/4 cup almonds

    Adding raisins and 1/4 cup almonds to the chile puree

    I should mention that this recipe is on the lower threshold of the sweet scale.  

    I used 2 tablespoons of raisins and 2 oz. of chocolate (added later) for just a hint of sweetness.  But you can always double these amounts for a sweeter batch. 

    I also added a single teaspoon of salt at this point.  Note that the salt amount will depend on which stock you use.  I used this homemade chicken stock.

    Then we'll quickly fry up the blended Mole sauce in some lard (or oil).   

    Adding Mole sauce to a large saucepan

    You can also add the remaining stock at this point. 

    I used 5 cups stock total for this batch -- 2 were added to the blender and the remaining 3 were added to the saucepan.   If your blender has sauce stuck to the sides then swish around some stock in it to gobble up the leftover bits.  

    Once it's up to temp you can add the chocolate.  

    Adding chocolate to the Mole Poblano sauce

    That’s about 1/3 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (2 oz.) and that’s probably the bare minimum you’ll need to actually taste the chocolate. 

    Feel free to add more if you want a sweeter batch.  You can also use Mexican chocolate.

    By the way, Mole sauces on the stovetop will paint your ceiling if you let them!  Be prepared with a lid or foil to prevent this, or if available use a splatter guard:

    Using splatter guard to prevent the Mole sauce from splattering

    Let this simmer over low heat for a couple minutes and then take a final taste for salt.  I added another generous pinch to this batch.   

    Letting it simmer longer will thicken it up and concentrate the flavor slightly, but at this point I am usually thrilled and just start eating it 🙂

    Strained Mole Poblano sauce over corn tortillas

    Hello Mole Poblano!

    You can strain the sauce to give it a silky, enchanting appearance, but it won't affect the flavor so you can consider it optional.   It does take some effort, so if I'm hungry I skip the straining. 

    Mole Poblano is typically served with lighter meats, usually chicken and turkey.  Drenching a roasted chicken breast is a good option, but for this batch I made some impromptu Enmoladas.  

    That's shredded chicken and cheese inside corn tortillas that were crisped up in the oven for 10 minutes, and then drenched in the Mole Poblano sauce. 

    What a treat to have Mole Poblano in the house! It's such a unique, otherworldly flavor and it reminds me of my time in Cozumel. mexicanplease.com

    Even a simple serving style like this is overwhelmingly delicious because of your homemade Mole sauce 🙂

    Yes, Mole Poblano will take some effort, but I've found it to be quite forgiving once you get the proper chile combo in place.   

    It's a real treat and I hope you try it out at some point.   Or you can just take a trip to Cozumel 🙂

    Buen Provecho. 

    To get up-to-date recipes follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest.

     

    What a treat to have Mole Poblano in the house! It's such a unique, otherworldly flavor and it reminds me of my time in Cozumel. mexicanplease.com

    Mole Poblano

    What a treat to have Mole Poblano in the house!  It's such a unique, otherworldly flavor and it reminds me of my time in Cozumel. 
    4.78 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 1 hour
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 222kcal
    Author: Mexican Please

    Ingredients

    • 6-7 Ancho dried chiles
    • 6-7 Mulato dried chiles
    • 5-6 Pasilla dried chiles
    • 1/2 onion
    • 6 garlic cloves
    • 2-3 Roma tomatoes
    • 1/3 cup sesame seeds
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
    • 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
    • 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
    • 8 whole cloves
    • 2 tablespoons raisins
    • 1/4 cup almonds
    • 2 oz. chocolate (1/3 cup chocolate chips)
    • 4-5 cups stock
    • 2 tablespoons lard (or oil)
    • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

    Instructions

    • Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the dried chiles.  De-stem and de-seed the chiles, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
    • Roast the chile pieces for 1-2 minutes in a 400F oven.  Alternatively, you can flash roast them in a skillet on the stovetop for 15-30 seconds per side. Once roasted, add the chile pieces to a bowl and cover with hot tap water.  Let the chiles reconstitute for 20-30 minutes.  If they float to the surface you can use a small bowl or plate to keep them submerged.
    • Rinse and de-stem 2-3 Roma tomatoes. Roast the tomatoes in a 400F oven for 20-30 minutes.
    • Roughly chop 1/2 onion and peel 6 garlic cloves.   Add a glug of oil to a skillet over medium heat and saute the onions and whole garlic cloves until lightly browned.  Once cooked, add the onion-garlic mixture to the blender.
    • Preheat a dry skillet over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup sesame seeds, 8 whole cloves, 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns to the skillet. Toast until the sesame seeds are turning golden brown, stirring occasionally. Towards the end, add the powdered spices to the skillet (1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano) and cook briefly. Add the mixture to a food processor or spice grinder and grind into a fine powder, setting it aside until you need it.
    • By now the chiles are reconstituted. Take a taste of the chiles' soaking liquid. If you like it then you can use it to liquefy the sauce. If it tastes bitter to you then use stock to liquefy the sauce -- I used stock for this batch.
    • Drain the dried chiles and add them to the blender along with 2 cups of stock (or soaking liquid). The onion-garlic mixture should already be in the blender. Combine well. It's worth it to take a taste at every step along the way, starting now!
    • Add the roasted tomatoes to the blender and combine well.
    • Add the finely ground spice mixture to the blender and combine well. I also added another splash of stock at this point. You'll need 4-5 cups total for the recipe -- I usually just keep track of what I add when blending and then add the rest for the simmer.
    • Add 2 tablespoons raisins, 1/4 cup almonds and 1 teaspoon salt. Combine well.
    • Add 2 tablespoons lard (or oil) to a large saucepan over medium heat. Once heated add the Mole sauce. Cook briefly and at this point you can add any additional stock that was not added to the blender. Use a splatter screen if you have one, otherwise a lid or foil will do the job.
    • Once heated through add 2 oz. chocolate (optional). I used 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use Mexican chocolate if you want. For a sweeter batch you can double or triple the chocolate amount.
    • Once the chocolate is incorporated into the sauce take a final taste for seasoning. I added another generous pinch of salt to this batch, but keep in mind this will depend on which stock you use.
    • Serve immediately or simmer longer if you want to thicken it up. You can optionally strain the sauce at this point.
    • I kept it simple and made some impromptu Enmoladas. I rolled some cooked, shredded chicken and cheese in corn tortillas, crisped them up in the oven, and drenched them in the Mole Poblano sauce.
    • Store leftovers in an airtight container where it will keep for a few days.

    Notes

    The listed chile amounts will equate to 8 oz. worth of dried chiles total.  For this recipe I don't think there are good substitutes for the dried chiles.  Where to Buy Dried Chiles Online. 
    Be sure to take a taste of the chiles' soaking liquid!  If you like it then you can use it to liquefy the sauce.  It usually tastes bitter to me so I use stock to liquefy Enchilada and Mole sauces.
    I used 5 cups of stock for this batch.  I usually just keep track of how much stock I add to the blender to get it to combine, and then add the remainder for the simmer. 
    Straining the sauce can be a pain when you're hungry so you can consider it optional 🙂  It won't affect the flavor but it does give the sauce a pleasant texture. 
    Like this recipe?Click the stars above to rate it or leave a comment down below! @mexplease

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andrew

      December 30, 2021 at 6:47 am

      Hi Patrick,
      I am looking for a way to incorporate chicken thighs/drumsticks without cooking the chicken in a separate pot. Would you recommend adding bone in chicken parts into the mole sauce at step 14 and then braising the chicken until cooked through?

      Reply
      • Patrick

        January 07, 2022 at 12:55 pm

        Hey Andrew, sorry for the late reply but this sounds delicious! Yeah that's the point I would add in the chicken -- I would probably bring the sauce up to a simmer first and then add it. And feel free to add another splash of stock/water if it thickens up during the cook.

        I might also consider holding off on adding any chocolate until the chicken is cooked through, but this probably doesn't matter too much in the long run. It's just that the bone-in chicken will add some real depth to the sauce and I know that my palate would prefer to add in that final sweetness gradually to keep it balanced. Cheers.

        Reply
    2. Gene Fiebich

      September 11, 2021 at 3:34 pm

      4 stars
      Holy Mole! First time making mole and I must say that I am pleased. Needed a use for all the ripe Poblano and Ancho chilies in my garden and this did the trick. Another recipe in my Mexican cooking arsenal for sure!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        September 13, 2021 at 3:28 pm

        Awesome, so glad you tried this recipe out Gene!

        Reply
    3. Brian

      July 24, 2021 at 1:12 pm

      5 stars
      Thanks for the great recipie! Only used about 4 cups of chicken broth, but also one cup of the soaking liquid. Doubled the chocolate. Perfect amount to be able to freeze so there’s mole ready quickly!

      Brian

      Reply
      • Patrick

        July 29, 2021 at 12:51 pm

        Hey thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Brian, so glad you tried out this recipe! Cheers.

        Reply
    4. Sofia

      March 08, 2021 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is a HIDDEN GEM! How does it only have 3 reviews? I realize that it may take a good amount of time to prepare, but this recipe is simply amazing. Mi marido grew up in Michoacán, Mexico, and for his birthday, I wanted to attempt to make a mole from scratch. I was not optimistic because I have heard how hard mole is and did not have high hopes for a gringa's first attempt. I made the recipe exactly as described (except I used chiles negros instead of pasillas - the storekeeper told me they are very similar), with chicken stock instead of the chile liquid. It came out stupendous and super authentic. We had it with some arroz rojo and shredded chicken. The recipe made enough sauce for two extra meals (for two people). 100% will be making this again to flex on mi suegra! 😉

      Reply
      • Patrick

        March 08, 2021 at 4:00 pm

        Hey thanks much for your feedback Sofia, I'm so glad you made this recipe! Cheers.

        Reply
    5. Alex Snyman

      December 15, 2020 at 9:18 am

      Hey Patrick!

      I'm allergic to tree nuts and am looking for something that I could substitute for the almonds. It's not perfect, but could peanuts do the trick? Open to suggestions.

      Many thanks,
      Alex

      Reply
      • Patrick

        December 15, 2020 at 3:18 pm

        Hey Alex! Yeah plain ol' peanuts will do the job too so I would go for it. You could also sub peanuts in the Coloradito recipe and get an equally good result. Cheers.

        Reply
    6. Virginia

      December 13, 2020 at 4:56 am

      Hi Patrick, thanks for your research into producing this final recipe for us. I just made my first batch of mole with a recipe very similar to yours. I used the pepper soaking stock because I feel it adds more depth of flavor but also added just a little sugar at the end which seems to offset the bitterness. I also used some smoked chipotle peppers, a few anchos for warmth and depth and some Mulato peppers as well as the three you mentioned. Finally, I got all my chiles at The Chile Guy and highly recommend them. They have the hard to find mulato peppers and were very nice to do business with. I am looking forward to exploring other types of mole and hope you are too!

      Reply
      • Patrick

        December 15, 2020 at 3:31 pm

        Ahh that's great to know, thanks much for mentioning your adjustments Virginia. Yeah that final bit of smokiness from chipotles is a good idea and I will try that in the future 🙂 Cheers.

        Reply

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    Hey, I'm Patrick! I spent 2 years living in Cozumel and got obsessed with Mexican food. I built this site to share all the recipes and techniques I've learned along the way. Read More…

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