Guerrero Dark Mole with Chicken

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Mole Prieto is the signature dark mole of Mexico's Guerrero region, a slow-simmered sauce built on toasted dried chiles, plantain, sesame, almonds, and Mexican chocolate. Serve it spooned over tender poached chicken with rice and warm tortillas for a deeply savory, slightly sweet main course that tastes even better the next day.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 580 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 7 gSaturated Fat
• 38 gCarbs
• 7 gFiber
• 12 gSugar
• 42 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 890 mgPotassium
• 130 mgCalcium
• 5 mgIron
• 14 mgVitamin C
• 180 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the chicken

• 3 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 1/2 white onion, quartered
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the dried chile and nut base

• 4 dried mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 dried pasilla chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tbsp raw sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp raw peanuts
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/4 cup raisins

For the aromatics and thickeners

• 1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
• 2 corn tortillas, torn into rough pieces
• 3 tbsp lard or neutral oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 Roma tomatoes, halved
• 2 tomatillos, husked and halved

For the mole spice blend

• 1 oz Mexican chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups reserved chicken broth
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches)
• 3 whole cloves
• 4 whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp dried Mexican oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tbsp piloncillo or brown sugar

Directions

1. Place chicken in a large pot with quartered onion, smashed garlic, and salt. Cover with cold water by 1 inch, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 to 35 minutes until the meat is tender and pulls easily from the bone. Reserve the broth, then shred the meat or leave pieces whole.
2. While the chicken cooks, toast the chiles: heat a dry skillet over medium and press mulato, pasilla, and ancho chiles flat for 20 to 30 seconds per side until fragrant and just pliable. Transfer to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak 15 minutes. In the same skillet, toast sesame seeds, peanuts, and almonds one at a time until golden, 1 to 2 minutes each, and set aside.
3. Heat lard in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium. Fry plantain slices until deep golden on both sides, about 3 minutes, then remove. Fry tortilla pieces in the same oil until crisp, about 1 minute, and remove. Add chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, and tomatillos to the pot and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly charred at the edges, about 8 minutes.
4. Drain the soaked chiles, reserving 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. In a blender, combine the chiles, fried plantain, crispy tortilla, toasted sesame, peanuts, almonds, raisins, sautéed aromatics, chocolate, reserved broth, and the chile soaking liquid. Blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth, working in batches if needed. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the same pot, pressing to extract every bit.
5. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, oregano, salt, and piloncillo to the strained sauce and bring to a low simmer. Cook gently, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking, until the mole turns glossy, dark mahogany, and thickens to coat the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt and sweetness.
6. Stir the reserved chicken and any juices into the mole and simmer another 10 to 15 minutes so the meat absorbs the sauce. If the mole tightens too much, loosen with a splash of warm broth.
7. Ladle chicken and sauce over steamed white rice on warm plates. Sprinkle with extra toasted sesame seeds and serve with warm corn tortillas and lime wedges on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• For the deepest color, char the dried chiles directly over a low gas flame for a few seconds before soaking; this adds smoky bitterness that defines mole prieto.
• Mole is one of those dishes that improves overnight, so make it a day ahead, refrigerate covered, and reheat gently with a splash of broth before adding the chicken.
• If Mexican chocolate is unavailable, substitute 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tsp sugar for a similar round, bittersweet note.
• To thicken the sauce further without diluting flavor, mash an extra toasted tortilla directly into the simmering mole.
• Balance the richness with a simple side: plain white rice, refried black beans, and a crisp jicama or cabbage salad with lime.

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