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Loading...A classic Mexican dish featuring corn tortillas rolled around tender shredded chicken, blanketed in a deeply flavored mole sauce made from dried chiles, warm spices, nuts, and a touch of Mexican chocolate. The result is a complex, slightly sweet, and richly spiced comfort food that showcases the soul of Puebla cuisine.
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time50 mins
Total Time75 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings (8 enchiladas)
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 580 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 8 gSaturated Fat
- 45 gCarbs
- 8 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 38 gProtein
- 780 mgSodium
- 720 mgPotassium
- 220 mgCalcium
- 4.5 mgIron
- 15 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the mole sauce
- 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 1 dried pasilla chile, stem and seeds removed
- 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 white onion, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup raw peanuts
- 2 tbsp raisins
- 1 oz Mexican chocolate, chopped (or 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa + 1 tsp sugar)
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the filling and assembly
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (about 1 lb)
- 1 cup shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
- 8 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- Vegetable oil for brushing tortillas
Directions
- Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 20-30 seconds per side until fragrant, then soak in hot water for 15 minutes until softened. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup soaking liquid.
- In the same skillet, dry-toast the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until charred at the edges, about 5 minutes. Toast the sesame seeds and peanuts separately until golden, about 2 minutes.
- In a blender, combine the soaked chiles, charred vegetables, sesame seeds, peanuts, raisins, Mexican chocolate, chicken broth, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and reserved chile soaking liquid. Blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Strain the blended sauce through a fine mesh sieve into the pan, pressing to extract all liquid. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and darkened. Season with salt.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly brush each tortilla with oil and warm in a dry skillet for 10 seconds per side to make them pliable. Mix the shredded chicken with the chopped onion and 1/2 cup of the Oaxaca cheese.
- Spoon about 1/3 cup of the mole sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Fill each tortilla with 1/3 cup chicken mixture, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour the remaining mole sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Oaxaca cheese. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes until hot and bubbly.
- Top with crumbled queso fresco, toasted sesame seeds, and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately with rice and beans if desired.
Cook’s Notes
- Wear kitchen gloves when handling dried chiles to avoid skin irritation, and never soak them longer than 30 minutes or the sauce turns bitter.
- Mole sauce develops deeper flavor when made a day ahead; refrigerate after simmering and gently rewarm before assembling.
- For a smoother sauce, strain it twice through a fine mesh sieve to remove all chile skin and seed particles.
- If Mexican chocolate is unavailable, substitute with 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 teaspoon sugar and a pinch of cinnamon.
- Warm tortillas just until pliable, not crispy; over-toasting makes them crack and split when rolled.
