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Flavorful Mole Negro Oaxaqueño with Grilled Chicken

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An authentic and approachable mole negro recipe from Oaxaca featuring a rich, smoky sauce paired with perfectly charred grilled chicken. This dish balances complex spices, toasted nuts, and bittersweet chocolate for a comforting and crowd-pleasing meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 dried ancho chilies, seeded and stemmed
  • 2 dried pasilla chilies, seeded and stemmed
  • 2 dried mulato chilies, seeded and stemmed
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • 1/4 cup almonds, lightly toasted
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 ripe plantain, sliced
  • 1/2 cup raisins, soaked in warm water
  • 2 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade or low sodium)
  • 1/2 cup Mexican chocolate, chopped (Ibarra brand recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
  • 1 slice day-old bread, toasted and crumbled
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, seasoned with salt, pepper, and lime
  • Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro

Instructions

  1. Remove stems and seeds from dried ancho, pasilla, and mulato chilies. Toast them lightly in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes per side until fragrant, being careful not to burn. Transfer to a bowl and soak in hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
  2. In the same skillet, toast the cinnamon stick, cloves, black peppercorns, and coriander seeds until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Toast sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and almonds separately until golden. Set aside.
  3. Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, cooking until translucent and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add sliced plantain and cook until caramelized, about 3 minutes.
  4. Drain the chilies, reserving soaking liquid. In a blender, combine softened chilies, toasted nuts and seeds, sautéed aromatics and plantain, soaked raisins, toasted spices, crumbled toasted bread, and 1 cup chicken broth. Blend until smooth, adding more broth or reserved chili liquid to reach desired consistency.
  5. Pour blended sauce into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add remaining chicken broth and chopped Mexican chocolate. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until sauce thickens and flavors meld, about 30-40 minutes. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
  6. While the sauce simmers, season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime. Grill over medium-high heat until cooked through and charred, about 7-10 minutes per side depending on thickness. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  7. Spoon the rich mole negro generously over the grilled chicken. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and fresh cilantro.

Notes

Toast chilies gently to avoid bitterness. Balance bitterness with nuts, plantain, and chocolate. Simmer sauce low and slow, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Use a high-speed blender for a silky smooth sauce. Grill chicken with skin on for crispy texture and juicy meat. If sauce thickens too much, add chicken broth to loosen. Leftover sauce tastes better the next day. Store sauce and chicken separately in airtight containers in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze sauce up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: mole negro, Oaxaqueño mole, grilled chicken, Mexican sauce, authentic mole recipe, mole with chocolate, traditional Mexican dish

Find it online: https://perkypan.com/flavorful-mole-negro-oaxaque-n-o-with-grilled-chicken-easy-authentic-recipe/