Learn how to make authentic mole from scratch! This traditional Mexican mole poblano is a unique and complex sauce made from dried chiles, nuts and seeds, spices, chocolate, and dried fruit. Serve it over chicken or turkey, as a sauce for enchiladas, or in tamales.
A Note from Isabel
Growing up, chicken mole was the ultimate special-occasion dish in our house. My mom would make it for things like weddings, quinceañeras, holidays, you name it. She had this genius shortcut method, starting with store-bought mole paste and adding her personal touches until it tasted just right. Honestly, it was perfect.
But me being me, I had to see if I could recreate that same incredible flavor starting completely from scratch. After years of having this on my must-make list (right next to birria) and several rounds of recipe testing (and a few kitchen fails, let’s be real), I finally nailed it.
This mole poblano captures that same rich, complex, soul-warming flavor I grew up loving. Yes, it takes some time and patience, but the process is actually really therapeutic. Plus, when you taste the final result, you’ll understand why mole has been treasured in Mexican kitchens for generations.
P.S. If you want to make the quick and easy mole recipe that my mom made using jar of store-bought mole paste, take a look at my recipe for enmoladas. The mole sauce I use there is her shortcut version.
What is Mole?
Mole (pronounced mo-leh) is a rich, layered Mexican sauce traditionally served with chicken or turkey. Mole poblano, probably the most famous variation, combines earthy dried chiles (primarily ancho chiles), spices, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and Mexican chocolate. It’s known for its complexity and depth, with over ten ingredients coming together into something truly special.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Dried chiles: A combination of ancho and pasilla chiles gives the mole sauce its rich, earthy flavor. You can find them online, in the international foods aisle of your local grocery store, or in a specialty Mexican grocery store.
- Nuts and seeds: You’ll need raw almonds, unroasted and unsalted peanuts, raw pumpkin seeds, coriander seeds, and sesame seeds. Make sure to get the raw and unsalted variety so they can toast and soak up all the flavored oil from the rest of the ingredients.Â
- Black peppercorns: Adds a surprising touch of heat to the dish.
- Corn tortilla: You only need one corn tortilla. Choose one that is thick, sturdy, and has a strong maize taste and smell.Â
- Corn tortilla and white bread: You only need one corn tortilla. Choose one that is thick, sturdy, and has a strong maize taste and smell. You only need one slice of white bread or French bread. These two ingredients act as natural thickeners and give an extra layer of flavor. Some mole recipe variations use Maria cookies or even animal crackers instead for a touch of sweetness.Â
- Raisins: Adds a nice fruity element to the sauce without making it overly sweet.
- Mexican chocolate: One round disc of Mexican chocolate adds richness, sweetness, and a touch of spice to the mole sauce, complementing the nuttiness and dried chile flavors.Â
- Mexican cinnamon stick: If you can’t find Mexican cinnamon sticks (also known as Ceylon cinnamon sticks), you can use two teaspoons of ground cinnamon.Â
(This is an overview of the key ingredients I used and why. See the recipe card below for the full recipe.)
How to Make Mole Poblano
Toast the chiles in a pot with a little oil, then transfer to a large bowl.
Toast the remaining ingredients in a bit of oil in batches – the nuts and seeds, bread, tortilla, cinnamon stick, raisins, whole spices, garlic, and onions.
Soak. Heat the chicken broth in the microwave or a pot on the stove for 5 minutes until very hot. Pour it into the large bowl of fried ingredients, then cover and soak for 15 minutes.
Blend. Working in batches, place half of the soaked ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. This may take several minutes. If your blender isn’t powerful enough to get it fairly smooth, you can pour it through a strainer.Â
Cook the sauce. Add the blended mole back to the pot and add Mexican chocolate, chicken bouillon, and salt. Cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally until the ingredients are fully incorporated.Â
Serve. Add in cooked chicken and heat for 2 minutes. Serve and plate the chicken with extra mole sauce, sesame seeds, and Mexican rice, or use it to make enmoladas or to eat with other cuts of meat or protein.
Recipe Tips
- Watch the ingredients closely. Toast and fry the ingredients briefly and carefully to avoid bitterness, especially chiles.
- Prep in advance. There are a lot of ingredients in this mole sauce, so pre-measuring and prepping things in bowls will streamline cooking and keep things stress-free.
- Achieve a smooth texture. You will need to blend the sauce in batches and for several minutes each to get rid of any grittiness and give you a smooth texture.Â
Variations and Substitutions
Mole sauce features a lengthy list of ingredients, all adding their own layer of extra flavor. If you’re in a pinch or run out of a certain ingredient, here are some easy swaps you can make:
- Dried chiles. Mole poblano features dried ancho chiles and pasilla chiles for its signature flavor and color. I don’t recommend substituting ancho chiles, but you can use guajillo or mulato chiles instead of pasilla. To add some spiciness, you can add 2-4 dried chile de arbol.Â
- Nuts and seeds. Use raw and unsalted nuts and seeds so they soak up as much flavor from the oil used to toast all the ingredients. Sunflower seeds, pecans, or cashews are great options.Â
- Corn tortilla and white bread. These ingredients act mainly as a thickener, so their substitutions are more flexible. Some recipes include using Maria’s cookies, animal crackers, bolillo, or french bread.Â
- Raisins. These add a subtle sweet and fruity flavor. Golden raisins or dried cranberries will give you a similar flavor.Â
- Ceylon cinnamon. This is different from cassia cinnamon, which is what you typically find in the grocery store. It’s more delicate and can infuse a stronger flavor. Use ground ceylon cinnamon or regular ground cinnamon as a substitute.Â
How to Serve Mole Sauce (Mole Poblano)
Traditionally, mole is spooned generously over chicken or turkey. A whole roasted chicken (like my air fryer whole chicken) cut into pieces is great, but chicken thighs, breasts, legs, or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken works.
Don’t forget to sprinkle sesame seeds on top for the perfect finishing touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not all mole varieties use Mexican chocolate, but most do. It adds a unique, rich, and subtly sweet flavor that sets it apart from a regular chile sauce.
Mole features a very unique and complex sauce from the variety of ingredients it uses. Mole sauces can vary in sweetness, spiciness, and sourness, but they typically have a smoky, rich, earthy-sweet flavor. The flavor of chocolate is subtle and definitely not sweet or dessert-like.
Mole is traditionally paired with Mexican rice and corn tortillas. You can also use it to make enmoladas (mole enchiladas) or drizzle it on top of tacos, burritos, or vegetable sides.
More Mexican Recipes To Try
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 8 ancho chiles (about 4 ounces), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces
- 8 pasilla chiles (about 2 ½ ounces), rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and torn into pieces
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup unsalted peanuts
- ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 corn tortilla
- 1 slice white bread
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 4-inch Ceylon cinnamon stick (see notes)
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 medium white onion, sliced
- ½ cup sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
- 7-8 cups chicken broth
- 3.1 ounces Mexican chocolate (about 1 round disc)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- Cooked chicken, for serving
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Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add ½ of the ancho chiles, ½ of the pasilla chiles, and fry for 1 minute until fragrant, stirring frequently to avoid burning them. Shake off any excess oil from the chiles and transfer them to a large heat-safe bowl. Add in the remaining batch of ancho and pasilla chiles, and repeat.
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To the same pot, add the almonds, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds. Pan fry for 1 minute until lightly toasted and fragrant. Transfer them to the same large heat-safe bowl.
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In the same pot, heat 1 more tablespoon of oil. Add the corn tortilla and lightly fry for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer it to the bowl.
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In the same pot, add the white bread and lightly toast for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer it to the bowl.
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Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pot and add the cinnamon stick. Fry for 30 seconds, stirring often, then add in the raisins and continue frying for 2 minutes. Transfer everything to the large bowl.
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Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pot. Add the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic, and cloves, and lightly fry for 1 minute, stirring often. Transfer it to the bowl.
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Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pot and add the onions. Fry for 3 minutes until softened, then transfer them to the large bowl.
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Heat another ½ tablespoon of oil in the same pot and add the sesame seeds. Fry for 1 minute until lightly toasted, stirring often, then transfer them to the bowl. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
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Heat the chicken broth in the microwave or a pot on the stove for 5 minutes until very hot. Pour it into the large bowl of fried ingredients. Cover with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and let everything soak for 15 minutes.
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Transfer half of the softened ingredients along with half of the liquid to a large blender and blend for 3 to 5 minutes on high until it’s as smooth as possible. Pour the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer and into the same large Dutch oven or pot used for frying. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and liquid.
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Add the Mexican chocolate, chicken bouillon, and salt in the large Dutch oven or pot filled with the strained mole sauce. Heat over medium heat and cook for 8 minutes, until the chocolate has completely melted and the chicken bouillon has fully incorporated into the sauce. Taste and season with additional salt if necessary.
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Add in the cooked chicken pieces and cook for 2 more minutes to heat everything through. Serve the chicken with a generous helping of mole sauce and garnish with sesame seeds.
Prevent your screen from going dark
- To make this recipe using a whole chicken or 4-5 pounds of chicken legs, quarters, thighs, or other pieces: Add the chicken to a large pot and cover with enough water to fully submerge it plus 1 inch. Bring it to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Carefully transfer the chicken pieces to a large plate and set aside to cool. Cover the pot to keep the chicken broth hot and set it aside for later use.
- Ceylon cinnamon: If you don’t have a Mexican cinnamon stick (also known as Ceylon cinnamon), you can use 2 teaspoons of ground Ceylon cinnamon instead. If using ground cinnamon, add it in step 12 along with the Mexican chocolate, chicken bouillon, and salt.
- Storage and reheating: Store the cooled mole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in a saucepan or microwave until warmed through.
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 1709mg | Potassium: 1616mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 14836IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 179mg | Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in June 2023 and has been updated with new photos and more helpful tips.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin and Isabel Orozco-Moore.