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Plate of pollo en mole featuring tender chicken coated in traditional Mexican mole sauce served with Mexican rice and refried beans.
Andreina Navarrete's avatarAndreina Navarrete

Pollo en Mole (Chicken in Mole)

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Cook Time 3 hours
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pollo en Mole (Chicken Mole)
  • 2 cups mole sauce
  • 4 ea chicken quarters
  • 1 tdp Beef tallow
  • TT S&P
  • 1 ea Onions fine julienne
  • 4 ea Garlic fine mince
  • 2 ea bay leaves
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1 bunch cilantro stems
Refried Beans
  • 1 can Can of beans
  • 1 tbsp beef tallow
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock / water
  • 1/2 ea onion julienne
  • 2 ea garlic minced
  • 1 ea jalapeno sliced
  • 1 ea bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp oregano
  • TT S&P
Arroz Mexicano
  • 1 cup medium grain rice
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup onion small diced
  • 2 ea garlic minced
  • 1 ea jalapenos sliced in half
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce
  • 1/2 oregano
  • 1/4 cumin
  • TT S&P
  • Cilantro fresh bunch

Equipment

  • cutting board
  • butchers knife
  • pressure cooker
  • saute pans with lids
  • spatula
  • aluminum foil

Method
 

Pollo en Mole
  1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes to 3 hours.
  2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add beef tallow or oil. Sear the chicken on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker set to High.
  3. In the same pan, sauté the sliced onions for about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  4. Deglaze the pan with water / stock, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the mole sauce and chicken bouillon. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
  5. Pour the mole mixture into the slow cooker. Add oregano, cumin, bay leaves, and cilantro stems.
  6. Cover and cook on High for approximately 3 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
Arroz Mexicano
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and golden brown.
  3. Add the onion and jalapeño. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  4. Add tomato sauce, chicken stock, and sazón. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
  5. Bring to a simmer, then add bay leaves and cilantro.
  6. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
  7. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
Frijoles Refritos
  1. Heat beef tallow in a sauté pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the onions and jalapeños and cook until golden brown.
  3. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic, and cook until fragrant.
  4. Add the beans and season with oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
  5. Stir in the chicken stock or water and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans reach your desired consistency.
  6. Mash some of the beans if a creamier texture is preferred.
To Serve
  1. Plate the Mexican rice and refried beans alongside the mole chicken. Spoon additional mole sauce over the chicken and garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

Notes

  • Store-bought mole works perfectly for this recipe, but homemade mole will provide the deepest flavor.
  • The fond left behind from searing the chicken adds incredible depth to the mole sauce, so don't skip deglazing the pan.
  • Traditional Mexican rice is usually made with medium-grain rice, though basmati can be substituted with a slight adjustment to the liquid ratio.
  • Beef tallow adds richness to both the chicken and beans, but vegetable oil may be used instead.