Mole Zacatecano

Mole Zacatecano

A rich, smoky chile-and-tomato sauce from the state of Zacatecas, simmered with warm spices and a touch of bittersweet chocolate. Traditionally served spooned over chicken or pork, it is often garnished with sesame seeds and served with corn tortillas.

Prep

30 min

Cook

75 min

Total

105 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1 kg (2.2 lb) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin on, for the broth
• •8 g (about 8 medium) guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •4 g (about 4 medium) ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• •2 g (2 small) chiles de árbol, optional, for heat; remove seeds for milder sauce
• •4 g (about 1 medium) white onion, roughly chopped
• •6 g (about 6 medium) garlic cloves, unpeeled
• •3 g (about 3 medium) roma tomatoes, halved
• •2 g (2 tbsp) sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
• •20 g (¼ cup) raw peanuts, traditional; almonds are a common substitute
• •15 g (1 slice) firm white bread, torn into pieces
• •1 g (1 small) Mexican cinnamon stick (canela), or ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• •2 g (2 whole) cloves
• •4 g (4 whole) black peppercorns
• •15 g (¼ cup) raisins, optional, for subtle sweetness
• •15 g (0.5 oz) Mexican chocolate (Abuelita or Ibarra), or 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa + 1 tsp sugar
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, plus more to taste
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) lard or neutral oil, for frying
• •500 ml (2 cups) hot water, as needed

Steps

1. 1 Simmer the chicken: Place the chicken pieces in a large pot, cover with cold water (about 1.5 L / 6 cups), add a pinch of salt and half an onion. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 25–30 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75 °C / 165 °F. Skim any foam. Reserve the broth and keep the chicken warm.
2. 2 Toast the chiles: On a dry comal or skillet over medium heat, toast the guajillo, ancho, and árbol chiles for 20–30 seconds per side, pressing flat with tongs, until fragrant and lightly blistered. Do not let them blacken or they will turn bitter. Immediately transfer to a bowl and cover with hot water; soak 15 minutes.
3. 3 Char the aromatics: On the same comal, char the remaining onion, the unpeeled garlic cloves, and the tomato halves until blackened in spots and soft, about 6–8 minutes. Peel the garlic once cool enough to handle.
4. 4 Toast the nuts and spices: In a dry skillet, toast the sesame seeds and peanuts separately until golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes each. In the same pan, lightly toast the cinnamon stick, cloves, and peppercorns for 30 seconds.
5. 5 Blend the sauce: Drain the chiles (reserve 250 ml / 1 cup of the soaking liquid). In a blender, combine the chiles, charred onion, garlic, tomatoes, peanuts, sesame seeds, torn bread, raisins, and the toasted whole spices. Add 250 ml of the chile soaking liquid and blend until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a silky texture, pressing to extract all the solids.
6. 6 Fry the sauce: Heat the lard or oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Pour in the strained sauce carefully (it will spatter). Cook, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until the sauce darkens, thickens, and smells deeply roasted.
7. 7 Simmer to meld: Add 500 ml of the reserved chicken broth and the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate melts. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Season with salt to taste.
8. 8 Finish and serve: Nestle the warm chicken pieces into the sauce and simmer another 5 minutes so they absorb the flavor. Serve in shallow bowls with sauce spooned over, sprinkled with extra sesame seeds, alongside warm corn tortillas and rice.
9. 9 Storage: Keeps refrigerated up to 4 days; flavors deepen overnight. Freezes well up to 3 months.