Chicken Mole

I have been a fan of Mark Miller for decades, since his Coyote Cafe was one of the most popular restaurants in North America. This is adapted from a recipe for Mole Poblano in his Indian Market Cookbook.  The restaurant is still on my bucket list, and it has a following in Santa Fee to this day.

Mole is not a spicy sauce but it’s very complex with all the flavours of roasted seeds and spices, and roasted onion and garlic. This recipe makes enough for 2.5 kg of boneless chicken thighs. It freezes really well, either just as sauce to be added to cooked meat later, or with the meat. It can be served with pieces of chicken or used with shredded chicken to make a taco or enchilada filling. 

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

1 L chicken stock

1 can tomato sauce

1 tsp dried Ancho chile powder

1 tsp dried Guajillo chile powder

1 tsp dried pasilla chile powder

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp marjoram

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp achiote powder

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1 oz / 30 g semisweet chocolate

salt , pepper to taste

liquid honey to taste

juice of 1 lime, to taste

Peel onion and garlic, and cut onion into quarters. Place on parchment paper on a small pan in oven, at 375F convection roast or 400F for regular oven. Roast until edges are brown, approximately 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Roast pumpkin seeds in oven or in a pan, until golden. Roast coriander and cumin seeds in pan just until fragrant.

In a large saute pan, pour chicken stock and tomato sauce and heat to medium. Grind herbs and spices along with the pumpkin seeds in a coarse mortar and pestle until fine. Add the spice mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and add chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add up to a teaspoon of honey if sauce seems bitter. Then simmer for 10 minutes to blend flavours.

*If you want to have shredded chicken, you can add cooked chicken (internal temp. 160F). Cook in sauce at medium low heat until chicken reaches 200F (use a potato masher to help break apart the chicken pieces).

*If you want to serve sauce over whole chicken pieces, be sure to serve it warm, not hot, for the full impact of all the flavours.

Squeeze in lime juice and stir into sauce just before serving.