Easy Chicken Mole Recipe (Pollo en Mole), Ready in 35 Minutes

Why this version is easy

The chicken poaches in salted water with onion and garlic while the rice cooks. The poaching liquid becomes the broth for the mole, so nothing is wasted and the sauce tastes like the chicken. The mole itself is already made: our family cooks it in Oaxaca and sun dries it, so you whisk it into the warm broth and simmer a few minutes. There is no toasting, soaking, grinding or frying.

Which mole to use

Any of them. Mole Coloradito is the everyday chicken mole in Oaxaca and the one in the photo. Mole Rojo is the classic restaurant flavor. Mole Negro makes it a celebration plate. If you are choosing between the last two, Mole negro vs mole rojo will settle it.

Ingredients

• 8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs (about 3 lb), or a mix of thighs and legs
• ½ white onion, cut in two, plus ¼ onion thinly sliced for serving
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons salt, for the poaching water
• 1 pouch (8 oz) Halietza dehydrated mole, coloradito, rojo or negro
• 3 cups of the chicken poaching liquid, strained
• 1½ cups long grain white rice, cooked
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• Warm corn tortillas, for serving

Serves 4. About 15 minutes of work, 35 minutes start to finish.

How to make chicken mole

1. Poach the chicken. Put the thighs in a pot with the halved onion, garlic, bay leaf and salt, add cold water to cover by an inch, and bring to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer, skim any foam, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Start the rice while it simmers.
2. Lift the chicken onto a plate and cover it. Strain 3 cups of the poaching liquid into a wide saucepan. Keep the rest warm for thinning the sauce.
3. Make the mole. Bring the 3 cups of liquid to a bare simmer, whisk in the mole for 60 to 90 seconds until it dissolves, then simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce is glossy and coats the back of a spoon. If it is thicker than heavy cream, whisk in a splash more of the warm liquid.
4. Put the chicken into the sauce, turn each piece to coat, and keep it over the lowest heat for 5 minutes so the chicken soaks up the mole.
5. Serve a piece of chicken on each plate with plenty of sauce, a scoop of rice beside it, and the sliced onion and sesame seeds on top. Pass the tortillas.

With a rotisserie chicken

Skip the poaching. Cut a rotisserie chicken into pieces, warm them in a covered skillet with ¼ cup of broth over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, and make the mole with 3 cups of store bought low sodium chicken broth. Dinner is on the table in 20 minutes.

Make it ahead

Chicken mole is better the next day. Poach the chicken and make the sauce up to 3 days ahead, store them together in the fridge, and reheat gently with a splash of broth. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. The details are in How to store mole.

What to serve with chicken mole

White rice, warm corn tortillas and a bowl of black beans are the classic plate. Put sliced white onion, radishes and lime wedges on the table for something fresh against the rich sauce. For more ideas, including the sides Oaxacan families put out, see What to eat with mole.

Leftovers

Shred the leftover chicken into the leftover sauce and you have the filling and the sauce for mole enchiladas or the start of chilaquiles with mole. A spoon of mole over fried eggs the next morning is the Oaxacan breakfast.