Best Grilled Chicken Mole Recipes

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE NEGRO

Steps:

• For the mole negro: In a large saute pan over medium heat, toast the ancho and guajillo chiles on both sides until softened and fragrant, being careful not to scorch them, 20 to 30 seconds. Add 1 cup of hot water to the pan, just enough to cover the chiles, and set aside for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Add the chiles and soaking water to a blender. Then add the onions, almonds, raisins, piloncillo, sesame seeds, cinnamon, oregano, garlic, cloves and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Puree until very smooth, adding a little more chicken broth if too thick.
• In a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the lard and the mole puree and cook, stirring constantly, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture becomes glossy, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups chicken broth and the chocolate. Boil for about 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thick, about 15 minutes. Add the salt; taste and adjust as needed. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
• For the grilled chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a grill for high heat and wipe down the grates with an oil-blotted paper towel.
• Combine the granulated garlic, salt, ancho powder, cumin, chipotle powder, pepper and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well. Sprinkle the chicken pieces all over with spice mixture. Place the chicken on the grill, skin-side down, and cook until nicely charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the reverse side for another 3 to 4 minutes. Once chicken has acquired nice grill marks, transfer it to a roasting pan and finish cooking in the oven, 15 to 20 minutes.
• To serve, ladle the mole sauce onto a large platter and arrange the grilled chicken, skin-side up, on the top. Garnish with scallions and cilantro. Serve with extra mole sauce on the side.

SPICY GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CREAMY PUMPKIN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chile pieces; toast until aromatic and lighter in color around edges, pressing with potato masher or back of fork and turning pieces, about 2 minutes. Set aside one 2-inch piece of chile for garnish; transfer remaining pieces to medium bowl. Cover chiles in bowl with hot water; soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
• In same large pot, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion rings and garlic. Sauté until brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to processor, leaving oil in pot. Add bread slice to pot; cook until golden, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer bread to processor (reserve pot). Add tomatoes to processor. Puree mixture until smooth. Transfer tomato puree to small bowl (do not clean processor).
• Drain ancho chiles and place in processor. Add 1/2 cup broth and 2 chipotle chiles. Puree until smooth.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to reserved pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Add ancho chile puree; cook until puree thickens and darkens, stirring often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tomato puree. Simmer until thick, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and 3 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until mole thickens and reduces to 3 1/3 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk in cream and sugar. Season to taste with salt.
• Puree 2 tablespoons oil and 2 chipotle chiles in small processor or force through sieve to make thick glaze. Transfer to bowl. (Mole and glaze can be made 3 days ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rewarm mole. Spread chipotle glaze thinly over both sides of chicken breasts. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt. Grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon mole over each. Crumble reserved ancho chile piece; sprinkle over chicken. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime.
• *Dried ancho chiles and chipotle chiles canned in a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes called adobo, are available at Latin American markets, specialty foods stores, and some supermarkets.

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE

Steps:

• For the brine and chicken: In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup water, the salt, sugar, garlic and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer to dissolve the sugar and salt. Once boiling, remove from the heat and add 3 cups ice. Once the liquid is cool, pour into a freezer bag. Add the chicken to the brine, making sure it is completely submerged. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
• For the dry rub: Combine the ancho chile powder, granulated garlic, salt, cumin, onion powder, cinnamon and black pepper together and toast in a dry pan until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Sprinkle the chicken on all sides with the dry rub, massaging the spices into the meat and ensuring that all sides are completely coated. Return to the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour.
• For the mole sauce: In a medium saute pan over medium heat, add the canola oil and onions and cook until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the tomatoes, chocolate, almonds, cinnamon, cumin, ancho chiles and chipotles with their liquid and simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, add in the chicken stock and puree until smooth. Add the currants and process again. Set half of the sauce aside for serving and reserve the other half for basting the chicken.
• Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken, turning occasionally, until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, 10 to 15 minutes per side. Using a silicone pastry brush, baste with the mole sauce for the final 5 to 8 minutes of cooking time.
• Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with steamed white rice and extra mole sauce slathered over the top.

GRILLED CHICKEN MOLE SANDWICH

Steps:

• For mole, remove stem and seeds from peppers; coarsely chop peppers and set aside.
• In a large skillet cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes or until onions are brown.
• Add the dried peppers and 1/2 cup water; reduce heat and stir in chocolate.
• Cook and stir over medium heat, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Cool slightly.
• Transfer mixture to a food processor bowl or blender container; cover and process or blend until a smooth paste.
• Set aside to cool. Reserve 1 to 2 tablespoons mole.
• Season chicken with salt, if desired. Using a sharp knife, carefully butterfly-cut each breast; spread inside face of each breast with mole. Fold closed.
• Rub the outside of each breast with reserved mole.
• Grill breasts on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender and no longer pink, turning once halfway through. Cover and chill.
• In a small bowl stir together avocado, light mayonnaise dressing, salt, and the ground red pepper, if desired.
• Slice chicken into 1/4- to 1/2-inch-thick slices.
• Spread avocado mixture on split rolls; layer with chicken, romaine, and tomato slices. Garnish with sliced papaya.
• Serve open-faced.
• Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 8 hours ahead, prepare and grill the chicken. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

LIME GRILLED CHICKEN AND POLENTA WITH A.1. MOLE SAUCE #A1

Steps:

• Marinate chicken in a medium bowl with lime juice, salt and pepper for 1 hour.
• While chicken is marinating: In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, serrano and pasilla peppers. Saute for 5 minutes.
• Add chili powder, cinnamon, oregano and cumin. Stir for 1 minute.
• Add A.1. Original Sauce, tomato sauce and chicken broth to pan. Bring to a boil, and add chocolate chips.
• Stir well and reduce heat to medium-low. Let sauce simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Heat electric grill on High. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add chicken thighs (grill in two batches) and close grill. Grill until chicken is fully cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove chicken from grill. Slice polenta crosswise into 8 circles. Place polenta slices on grill. Close grill, and cook until golden and brown grill marks appear, about 8 minutes.
• Plate grilled chicken and polenta slices. Spoon A.1. mole sauce over. Top with slices of avocado.

SPICY GRILLED CHICKEN WITH PUMPKIN MOLE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat heavy large pot over medium heat. Add chile pieces; toast until aromatic and lighter in color around edges, pressing with potato masher or back of fork and turning pieces, about 2 minutes. Set aside one 2-inch piece of chile for garnish; transfer remaining pieces to medium bowl. Cover chiles in bowl with hot water; soak until soft, about 30 minutes. In same large pot, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion rings and garlic. Sauté until brown, about 4 minutes. Transfer to processor, leaving oil in pot. Add bread slice to pot; cook until golden, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer bread to processor (reserve pot). Add tomatoes to processor. Puree mixture until smooth. Transfer tomato puree to small bowl (do not clean processor). Drain ancho chiles and place in processor. Add 1/2 cup broth and 2 chipotle chiles. Puree until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon oil to reserved pot. Heat over medium-high heat. Add ancho chile puree; cook until puree thickens and darkens, stirring often, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tomato puree. Simmer until thick, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Whisk in pumpkin and 3 cups broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until mole thickens and reduces to 3 1/3 cups, about 30 minutes. Whisk in cream and sugar. Season to taste with salt. Puree 2 tablespoons oil and 2 chipotle chiles in small processor or force through sieve to make thick glaze. Transfer to bowl. DO AHEAD Mole and glaze can be made 3 days ahead. Cover separately and chill. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Rewarm mole. Spread chipotle glaze thinly over both sides of chicken breasts. Sprinkle chicken generously with salt. Grill until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon mole over each. Crumble reserved ancho chile piece; sprinkle over chicken. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime.