Best Chicken Mole Recipes

CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• Put the chicken and peppercorns in a large pot, cover with water and season with salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large plate and set the cooking liquid aside.
• Toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, tossing, until golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside 2 tablespoons for garnish and transfer the rest to a blender. In the same skillet, toast the cloves, cinnamon stick, and anise and coriander seeds until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add to the blender.
• Remove the stems and seeds from the dried chile peppers. Heat 4 tablespoons canola oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the chiles and fry until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water and set aside to soak until pliable, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the raisins, almonds, pumpkin seeds and tortilla pieces to the oil in the skillet and cook, stirring, until the seeds and tortillas are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add to the blender along with the oil from the skillet. Add the softened chiles and puree, pouring in 2 to 3 cups of the soaking liquid to make a thick, smooth sauce.
• Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chile sauce and fry, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add 4 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid and simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, about 20 minutes. Add the chocolate and simmer, stirring frequently, until the chocolate melts and the sauce reduces, about 20 more minutes. Add the sugar and season with salt.
• Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and warm through over low heat. Garnish with the reserved sesame seeds.
• Photgraph by Con Poulos

CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Working in batches, add chicken to pot; sauté until lightly browned, adding more oil by tablespoonfuls as needed, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to large bowl.
• Return chicken and any juices to pot. Add broth and orange juice; bring just to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until chicken is tender and just cooked through, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, about 18 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add almonds, garlic, cumin, and coriander. Sautéuntil nuts and garlic begin to color, about 2 minutes. Add chiles and stir until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to large bowl. Pour chicken cooking liquid into saucepan with onion mixture (reserve pot). Add raisins, orange peel, and oregano to saucepan. Cover and simmer until chiles are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat; add chocolate. Let stand until chocolate melts and sauce mixture cools slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Working in small batches, transfer sauce mixture to blender and puree until smooth; return to reserved pot. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Coarsely shred chicken and return to sauce; stir to coat. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Chill until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over low heat before serving.
• Transfer chicken mole to bowl. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas.

CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• 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., 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.

'EASIEST EVER' CHICKEN MOLE ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• For the chicken: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. On a baking sheet, sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Set aside to cool, then shred into small bite-sized pieces.
• For the mole: Reconstitute the dried chiles by soaking them in 1 1/2 cups hot water for 15 minutes. Then drain and set aside. Toast the corn tortillas in a dry skillet until dry, crisp and golden. Tear into pieces and set aside. In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, season with a little salt and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer the onion and garlic mixture to a blender with the chiles, tortillas, peanut butter and oregano. Pour the chicken stock over and blend until very smooth. Then transfer the sauce to a medium saute pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in the chocolate. Season the mole with salt and pepper. Reserve 1 cup of mole for garnishing the enchiladas, the rest will be used for dipping the tortillas.
• To assemble the enchiladas: Fill a medium saute pan half way with oil over high heat. When the oil is hot, dip 1 tortilla at a time and fry just until soft and heated through, a few seconds. Lift out, let the excess oil drip off and then dip the fried tortilla directly into the warm mole (which should be right next to the pan for easy dipping) and transfer to a plate. Working quickly, put 1/3 cup of the shredded chicken in the center, being careful not to over fill. Roll the tortilla like a cigar to enclose the filling and place in a serving dish seam- side down. Continue to fill all of the tortillas and place them side-by- side. Pour the reserved mole over the top. (This recipe can be tightly wrapped and frozen for 3 weeks at this stage. To reheat: Preheat oven to 350degrees F, unwrap and bake until sauce is bubbly and enchiladas are heated through, about 20 to 25 minutes.) To serve, drizzle with a little sour cream and sprinkle with queso.

EASY CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• To make the mole sauce, soak the chiles in 1 1/4 cups water for 15 minutes. Drain well and discard the soaking liquid.
• Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent, 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender with the chiles, chocolate, chicken broth, peanut butter, sugar, oregano and tostadas and blend until very smooth. Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper. Add the rotisserie chicken pieces and stir to combine.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons lard in a stockpot. Stir in 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, poblano peppers, and Anaheim peppers; cook and stir until onions are soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add chicken thighs and 4 cups chicken broth, cover, and simmer until reduced, about 40 minutes.
• Heat 2 cups chicken broth in a saucepan until it begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Pour broth into a blender.
• Toast guajillo chiles and ancho chiles in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until hot and aromatic, 3 to 4 minutes. Place toasted chiles and tortilla strips in the blender with the hot broth. Press them down so they are fully submerged and soak until softened, about 10 minutes. Blend the chile and tortilla mixture until smooth.
• Cook tomatoes and tomatillos in a dry skillet on medium-high heat until soft and blackened, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Melt 2 tablespoons lard in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 sliced onion, 5 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; cook and stir until onions are soft and golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add onion mixture to the blender with the chile mixture and blend until smooth.
• Pour chile puree into a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 2 cups chicken broth, salt, sugar, and chocolate. Bring mixture to a simmer; cook and stir until chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes.
• Toast tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and soft, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup chicken mixture. Roll and place seam side down on a plate. Continue with remaining tortillas, 3 per plate. Top each trio of tortillas with 1/3 cup mole sauce, 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and 1 to 2 tablespoons queso fresco.

CHICKEN MOLE WITH CORIANDER RICE

Steps:

• Put the chillies in a bowl and add enough boiling water to just cover. Leave to soften for 20 mins. If you can't find anchos, grill red peppers until they're really blackened and soft. Cool them, then peel and use as needed in the recipe, adding 1 tsp smoked paprika and a little extra chipotle to re-create the sweet, smoky flavour.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish, season the chicken, then brown on all sides. You may have to do this in batches so you don't overcrowd the dish. Remove to a plate. Add the onions to the dish and cook for 5 mins until softened. Add the spices and cook for 1 min until aromatic.
• Remove the chillies from their soaking liquid, reserving the liquid, and discard the stalks and seeds. Put in a food processor with 4 tbsp of the soaking liquid, the garlic and raisins. Whizz to a paste, then tip into the dish. Add the peanut butter, chipotle paste, tomatoes and 400ml water (fill up the tomato can and swirl to get all the tomato bits out). Return the chicken to the dish and season. Cover with a lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hr.
• Remove the chicken pieces to a plate. Using 2 forks, shred the meat and discard the bones. Return the chicken to the sauce, add the chocolate and continue cooking, uncovered, for 30 mins more. If the sauce looks like it's getting a little too thick, add some of the chilli soaking liquid or some water.
• Cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, put the red onion in a small bowl. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt. Leave to pickle until ready to serve. When the rice is cooked, add the coriander and lime zest and juice, and fluff up with a fork. Remove the mole from the heat, scatter with the pickled red onion and serve alongside the rice, with soured cream and lime wedges, if you like.

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs with salt and place in a 5-to-6-quart slow cooker. In a blender, puree tomatoes, onion, ancho and chipotle chiles, almonds, raisins, chocolate, garlic, oil, cumin, and cinnamon until smooth.
• Add tomato mixture to slow cooker, cover, and cook on high until chicken is tender, 4 hours (or 8 hours on low). Serve chicken and sauce topped with cilantro.

POLLO CON MOLE POBLANO - CHICKEN IN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a shallow layer of oil in a very large skillet, or use two skillets.
• Brown chicken in oil on both sides; add water to cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• While chicken is cooking, make the sauce by placing all remaining ingredients (except bay leaf) in a blender and processing until smooth.
• When chicken is done, drain broth and reserve.
• Add 1 to 1 1/2 cup of broth to sauce.
• Blend, pour over chicken in skillet, add bay leaf, and cook on low heat for 35 more minutes.

CHICKEN MOLE POBLANO

Steps:

• For the mole: Tear the ancho, anaheim, and chipotle chiles into large pieces and toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat until they change color a bit, about 2 minutes. Put them into a bowl with the raisins and cover them with hot water. Soak unti softened, about 30 minutes. In the same skillet over medium heat, add the almonds, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, oregano, and thyme. Toast for 2 minutes, grind in a spice grinder, and add the powder to a blender. In the same skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil, onions, garlic, and serrano. Cook until lightly browned, then add the tomatoes. Cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 to 15 minutes, then add to the blender. Add the chocolate and the soaked chiles and raisins to the blender along with some of the chile soaking liquid. Puree, adding more soaking liquid as needed, to make a smooth sauce. (This makes about 4 cups sauce, the recipe uses 2 cups, the extra can be frozen).
• Pour the lemon juice over the chicken and season it well with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet and brown the chicken on all sides; remove the browned chicken to a plate leaving the oil in the pan. Pour 2 cups of the mole sauce into the hot skillet and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and return the chicken pieces to the pan. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the onion and radish slices into a bowl. Add the lime juice and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt. Mix well and serve with the chicken.
• Serve over cooked white rice with the onion and radish salad. Garnish everything with cilantro leaves.

SLOW-COOKER CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• For the chicken mole: Place the ancho and pasilla chiles, slivered almonds and pepitas in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toast until the pepitas begin to pop and the almonds are deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chiles to a small bowl and cover with boiling water; set another small bowl on top of the chiles to keep them submerged. Let soak for 30 minutes. Set the almonds and pepitas aside.
• Meanwhile, place the Mexican chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir together the melted chocolate; unlike conventional chocolate, it will have a grainy, paste-like consistency.
• Add the melted chocolate to a food processor with the toasted almonds and pepitas and the onions, garlic, sesame seeds, tomatoes, raisins, vinegar, chipotle puree and pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cloves and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Drain the ancho and pasilla chiles and add them to the food processor. Process to a smooth sauce.
• Place the chicken breasts and legs in a 6.5-quart slow cooker and sprinkle liberally with salt. Pour the mole sauce over the chicken, spreading it to cover completely. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high power for 4 hours.
• For the radish salad: About 10 minutes before serving, toss the radishes, radish leaves, cilantro and lime juice together. Season with salt to taste.
• To serve: Place the tortillas over a medium flame (or on a grill or grill pan) and heat until charred in spots but still soft enough to fold.
• Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a platter. Spoon some mole sauce over the top; serve extra sauce in a bowl on the side. To the platter, add the radish salad, charred tortillas, and lime wedges. Garnish the chicken with the toasted sesame seeds.

QUICK AND EASY CHICKEN MOLE ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the sauce: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the chili powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and cumin and saute until toasted and fragrant, about 2 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, then add the tomato sauce and chicken broth and whisk until smooth and combined. Stir in the peanut butter, brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat.
• For the enchiladas: Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave in 30-second internals, just until warmed through and pliable. Add the chicken to a medium bowl and pour about 1/2 cup of the mole sauce over top; toss to coat the chicken. Spread another 1/2 cup of the mole sauce in the bottom of an 11-by-7-inch baking dish.
• Place one warmed tortilla flat on a clean work surface. Top with 1/4 cup of the chicken filling and 2 tablespoons of the shredded cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, filling and shredded cheese. Pour the remaining mole over the top of the rolled tortillas. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the cheese is melted and the mole is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and top with the crema, queso fresco and sesame seeds. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves.

SPICY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and sesame seed and cook and stir for 4 minutes or until golden brown. Reserve 1 tablespoon almond mixture.
• Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, tomatoes, chipotle chiles, raisins, salt, black pepper and cinnamon. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
• Spoon the onion mixture into a blender. Add the broth and the remaining almond mixture. Cover and blend until the mole sauce is smooth. Pour the mole sauce into the saucepan and heat over medium heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes or until the mole sauce is slightly thickened, stirring often.
• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stir the chicken, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup mole sauce in a large bowl.
• Spread 1/2 cup mole sauce in the bottom of an 11x8x2-inch baking dish.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas around the filling. Place the filled tortillas, seam-side down, into the baking dish. Pour the remaining mole sauce over the filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover the baking dish.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Sprinkle with the reserved almond mixture. Serve with the sour cream.

CHICKEN IN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the chickens into pieces, reserving the breasts. Place chicken pieces except the breasts in a deep saucepan over medium heat; add the onion, garlic, and chicken broth. Cover the pan and simmer 25 minutes.
• Cut the breasts into halves and add to the saucepan; simmer until the chicken breasts are no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 20 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Remove the skin and bones from the chicken; cut the meat into bite sized pieces.
• Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, reserving the liquid and discarding the onion, garlic, and skimmed fat. If you have less than 3 cups of reserved liquid, add water to make 3 cups. If you have more than 3 cups, return to the pan and bring to a boil; cook until volume of liquid reduces to 3 cups.
• Combine the chili powder, almonds, banana, cinnamon, salt, tortilla pieces, sesame seeds, and pine nuts in a blender. Blend on low, slowly adding the reserved liquid in a stream until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture and remaining liquid into a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and chocolate; cook and stir until the butter and chocolate have melted. Stir the chicken pieces into the sauce; continue cooking until the chicken is heated completely through, 5 to 10 minutes.

CHICKEN IN MOLE, PUEBLA STYLE

Steps:

• In a large stock pot, parboil the chicken in water seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Drain, reserving cooking broth, and refrigerate until ready to assemble the dish.
• Prepare the Mole Poblano. Clean the chiles by removing stems, veins, and seeds; reserve 1 tablespoon of the seeds. Heat 1/2 cup of the oil in a heavy skillet until it shimmers. Fry the chiles until crisp, about 10 to 15 seconds, turning once; make sure they do not burn. Drain on paper towels. Put the chiles in a nonreactive bowl, cover with hot water, and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain the chiles, reserving the soaking water. Puree the chiles in a blender with enough of the soaking water to make a smooth paste. It may be necessary to scrape down the sides and blend several times to obtain a smooth paste. In a heavy Dutch oven heat an additional 1/2 cup oil over medium heat and add the chile puree (be careful - it will splatter). Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Puree the tomatillos in a blender. In a coffee or spice grinder, grind the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, and toasted seeds. Add the seed mixture and the garlic to the pureed tomatillos and blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Heat 6 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy frying pan. Fry each of the following ingredients and then remove with a slotted spoon: the raisins until they puff up; the almonds to a golden brown; the pumpkin seeds until they pop. If necessary, add enough oil to make 4 tablespoons and fry the tortilla pieces and bread slices until golden brown, about 15 seconds per side; remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Add raisins, almonds, pumpkins seeds, tortillas, and bread to the tomatillo puree and blend, using 1 to 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth, as needed, to make a smooth sauce. This may have to be done in batches. In a heavy Dutch oven, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the chile puree, the tomatillo puree, and the Mexican chocolate (be careful - it will splatter). Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the remaining 5 cups of chicken broth, cook over low heat for an additional 45 minutes, stirring often enough to prevent the mixture from scorching on the bottom. During the last 15 minutes of cooking time, add the parboiled chicken and heat through. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve with white rice.

EASY CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• In a heavy sauce pan boil the chicken thighs, no need to salt the water but you may if you desire. Don't discard the cooking water you will use it later.
• In a blender combine the premade Mole sauce and jalapenos. Using the jar the Mole came in add 3 jarfuls of the cooking water you used to cook the chicken. Blend until smooth and you don't see chunks of jalapenos.
• (Note: before blending you may want to wait for the water to cool down for a few minutes the heat of the water may make your blender top fly off spraying mole sauce everywhere. Experience talks--trust me.).
• Discard the unused water, leaving the chicken in the pot, once you have blended the mole sauce add it to the chicken and stir heating it through.
• Serve and enjoy! Try it with my Rice Recipe #199280, and corn tortillas.

GREEN PIPIâN MOLE WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the mole:
• In a sauté pan over moderate heat, toast the pumpkins seeds, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn them. Transfer to a small bowl to cool. Once cool, reserve about 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds for garnish, then transfer the remaining seeds to a blender and add enough vegetable stock to cover by 1 inch. Blend on high until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and clean the blender.
• Place the tomatillos, epazote, hoja santa, romaine, cilantro, chiles, onion, garlic, and cumin in a blender, in that order, and blend well. If more liquid is needed, add water or broth, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• In a deep skillet over high heat, heat the oil until shimmering then carefully add the tomatillo mixture and fry, stirring constantly and adding broth or water as needed to achieve a sauce-like consistency, for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the heat and add the pumpkin seed mixture. Mix well, then season to taste with salt.
• To serve:
• Divide the rice, chayote or zucchini, green beans, and poached chicken among 4 plates. Coat the chicken with the mole, garnish with the reserved pumpkin seeds, and serve.
• DO AHEAD: Leftover mole can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator. Or, if frozen properly in an airtight container and wrapped in plastic and then aluminum wrap, it can be held for up to 4 months in the freezer.

LACQUERED CHICKEN IN RED MOLE

Steps:

• On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatillos 4 inches below the broiler until splotchy black and thoroughly soft, about 5 minutes per side. Scrape roasted tomatillos into a large bowl, along with any juices from the sheet.
• In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring constantly, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer half of the toasted sesame seeds to a large mixing bowl to combine with the roasted tomatillos; set aside the other half for serving.
• Remove and discard the stems, seeds, and veins from the dried chiles. Heat ¼ cup of the lard or oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Tear the dried chiles into large pieces and toast in the oil until they become aromatic and their interior side has lightened in color, 20-30 seconds for each side. (You will need to work in batches.) As they're done, remove them to a large bowl, draining as much fat as possible back into the skillet; reserve the fat. Cover the toasted chiles with hot tap water and allow them to rehydrate, 30 minutes.
• With the skillet still over medium heat, toast the almonds and garlic cloves, stirring, until they are browned and the garlic is soft, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the almonds and garlic into the bowl with the tomatillos and sesame seeds, leaving as much fat as possible in the skillet. Add the raisins to the hot skillet and stir for 20 or 30 seconds, until they''ve puffed and browned slightly. Scoop them out, leaving as much fat as possible in the skillet, and add to the tomatillo mixture; reserve the fat. Set the skillet aside, off the heat.
• Grind the black peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and anise seed to powder in the mortar; transfer the powder to the tomatillo mixture. Tear the toasted bread into large pieces and add to the mixture; roughly chop the chocolate before adding.
• Add 2 cups of water to the tomatillo mixture. Drain the rehydrated chiles, reserving the soaking liquid if it''s not bitter. Otherwise, drain and substitute fresh water. Working in batches, add the drained chiles and some of the soaking liquid (or fresh water) to a blender; starting at low and moving to high speed, purée until very smooth. As you go, add more water as necessary to achieve an even consistency, similar to a thick canned tomato sauce. Use a rubber spatula to press the purée through a medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the bits of skin and seeds that don''t pass through. Repeat with the remaining chiles.
• Heat ½ cup lard (or vegetable oil) in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. When it's hot, add the chile purée; it should sizzle sharply. Stir and adjust the heat as necessary to keep the chile purée at a brisk simmer. Stir every couple of minutes until it has darkened and reduced to the consistency of tomato paste, about 30 minutes.
• Blend the tomatillo-nut mixture as smoothly as possible (you may need an extra cup or so of water to keep everything moving through the blades). Pass the purée through the medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; then add to the pot. Stir to combine and simmer over medium-low to low heat, stirring every few minutes, until the mixture is considerably darker and thicker, about 30-45 minutes.
• Check the thickness by dragging a spoon or rubber spatula across the bottom of the pot. If the spoon leaves a deep trail, the mixture is thickened sufficiently.Add the broth to the mole and stir well. Partially cover the pot and briskly simmer the mixture over medium to medium-low heat, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until the flavors come together and mellow, about 2 hours. If the mole has thickened beyond the consistency of a cream soup, stir in a little water.
• Season with salt (1 heaping tablespoon), and taste. Then add the sugar, stir, and taste. If necessary, add more sugar a tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go, until the mole tastes mellow and balanced: you should be able to detect hints of flavor from all the ingredients. (Note: Mole can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.) For the Lacquered Chicken in Red Mole (not in video): Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, mix together 1 cup of the mole with the agave nectar or corn syrup. Simmer over medium heat until glossy and reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes; set aside. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer on rimmed baking sheets; season generously with salt. Bake until the chicken pieces are tender to the bone and the juices at the thickest part of the leg and thigh portions run clear, about 45 minutes.Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Pour off the juices that have collected around the chicken, then brush the pieces liberally with the mole mixture. Sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds. Bake until a glaze forms on the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Then serve each portion of chicken with an additional ½ cup of the mole, garnished with watercress or flat-leaf parsley.

INSTANT CHICKEN MOLE POBLANO

Steps:

• Combine rice, water, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered and undisturbed, 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• While rice cooks, blend mole and broth in a blender until smooth, then bring to a boil in a 12-inch skillet, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, then reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, turning chicken once, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes total (sauce will thicken slightly).
• *Available at mexgrocer.com and some Latino markets.

ABUELA'S CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• 1. In a large stock pot add water, chicken base, salt, pepper and chicken breast. Bring to a boil and cook for about an hour until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken and reserve broth for mole. Let the chicken cool for a bit then remove skins and bones. Shred chicken into chunks and set aside.
• 2. In a small bowl mix together your mole and flour. Now in a dutch oven heat your oil on high. Once oil is hot whisk in your mole mixture. It will turn into a thick paste. Quickly start adding your chicken broth little bits at a time. Letting it rethicken after each addition. Repeat this process until you have a nice thick mole gravy. Turn off flame and whisk in a heaping tablespoon of creamy peanut butter to smooth out the bitterness of the mole (little secret ingredient). Taste and add salt if needed. Add your shredded chicken to your mole and done.
• 3. Serve with tortilla's, refried beans, Sopa (spanish rice) or Fideo. Now here's another little tip for ya. Mexican's use tortilla's as silverware just as Chinese use chopsticks to eat with. I never put forks on the table when eating Chicken Mole. That's up to you, but you will find that ripping off a piece of tortilla and using it to scoop up your dinner makes it all just taste perfect. One last tip. Don't heat your tortilla's in the microwave. Cook them over an open flame. Just turn burner to low and plop the tortilla right on the burner. As soon as it starts to blacken flip and cook other side. Place cooked tortilla's in a folded kitchen towel to keep warm while you finish cooking the rest. Enjoy