Traditional Chicken Mole from Scratch

Mole is not a weeknight dinner. Mole is a statement.

This is the real deal: dried Mexican chilis, toasted almonds, bitter cocoa, warm cinnamon, and aromatic cloves all simmered together and blended into a sauce so complex it’ll make you wonder why you ever settled for anything from a jar.

The sauce starts smoky and earthy, hits you with a whisper of chocolate bitterness, then finishes with warm spice that lingers on your tongue.

Serve it the traditional way with rice, beans, warm tortillas, and if you’re feeling ambitious, a side of tamales.

This is the kind of cooking that fills your kitchen with aromas your neighbors will ask about.

Pro Tips

• Toast the dried chilis briefly in a dry skillet before adding to the pot. This wakes up their oils and deepens the smoky flavor.
• Use Mexican oregano if you can find it. It’s earthier and more citrusy than Mediterranean oregano and makes a noticeable difference.
• Blend the sauce thoroughly until silky smooth. A gritty mole is a sad mole. Use a high-powered blender or pass through a fine-mesh strainer.
• Don’t skip the almonds. They add body and richness that thickens the sauce naturally without flour or cream.
• Make it a day ahead. Like all great braises, mole tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.