Chicken Mole

Dinner

If you’re not familiar with chicken mole (pronounced mo-LAY), don’t be afraid of this versatile Mexican sauce. I love sharing this chicken mole recipe because it’s a great one to experiment with.

Average Rating: 3.8

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 25 min. Cook: 6 hours
YIELD: 12 servings.

Ingredients

12 bone-in chicken thighs (about 4-1/2 pounds), skin removed
1 teaspoon salt
MOLE SAUCE:
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, drained
1 medium onion, chopped
2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup raisins
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Fresh cilantro leaves, optional

Instructions

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt; place in a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Place the tomatoes, onion, chiles, almonds, raisins, chocolate, oil, chipotle pepper, garlic, cumin and cinnamon in a food processor; cover and process until blended. Pour over chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is tender; skim fat. Serve chicken with sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro if desired.
Freeze option:
Cool chicken in mole sauce. Freeze in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through slowly in a covered skillet or Dutch oven until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, stirring occasionally and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

Nutrition Facts

1 chicken thigh with 1/3 cup sauce: 311 calories, 18g fat (5g saturated fat), 86mg cholesterol, 378mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (7g sugars, 3g fiber), 26g protein.