Go Back
+ servings
Mole Rojo is a Mexican Dish made with dry peppers and chicken.

Red Mole Recipe (Mole Rojo)

4.79 from 19 votes
Mole, or “molli,” is a rich Mexican sauce made with dried chiles and toasted nuts, traditionally served with chicken and prized for its deep red color from the chiles.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 lb whole chicken, broken down

Aromatics for Broth

  • 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 medium yellow onion
  • 1 tomato, diced  
  • 4 sprigs hierba buena (mint)
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled 
  • 10 cups water 
  • 1 tsp kosher salt

Toasting Ingredients

  • 3-4 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 corn tortilla
  • 1/4 medium yellow onion, sliced 
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 20 guajillo chiles, cleaned, deveined 
  • 5 puya chiles, cleaned, deveined 
  • 3 dry chiles de arbol, cleaned 
  • 4 cups hot broth, (hydrate dried peppers)
  • 1 cup broth, (blend the peppers) (1st batch)

Toasted Nuts

  • 10 almonds
  • 6 pecan halves
  • 3 tbsp whole peanuts
  • 2 tbsp whole sunflower seeds, (see note above)
  • 2 tbsp whole pumpkin seeds
  • 2 tbsp whole sesame seeds

Aromatics 

Season

  • To taste salt

Instructions

  • Cook chicken in broth: Place the chicken in a large pot with the water, aromatics for the chicken broth, diced tomato and salt. Let it reach a boil, then lower the heat and allow the chicken to fully cook on a gentle simmer, about 25-30 minutes. Check for doneness. Remove from the heat, reserve the broth and set to the side until both the broth and chicken are needed. 
  • Prep the dry peppers: Remove the stem, seeds and veins from the guajillos and puya dried peppers. Feel free to use kitchen gloves for this process. Next, cut them into smaller pieces and place them in a container together with the whole chiles de arbol. 
  • Pan-fry the tortilla: Place a large pan over medium heat and add 3-4 TBSP of avocado oil. When hot, pan fry the corn tortilla until crispy and golden brown on both sides. Remove when ready. Lower the heat to medium low heat. To the same pan add in the sliced onion and whole garlic cloves, stir as needed. When the onions begin to soften, lower the heat to the lowest setting and add in the prepped dried peppers. Toast the dried peppers: Stir continuously to prevent them from burning because it will ruin the sauce by making really bitter. When they start to release their fragrance, about 2 minutes, transfer the onion, garlic, and dried peppers from the pan to a large bowl. Pour in the 4 cups of hot broth the chicken was cooked in. Submerge in the broth and allow them to rehydrate, about 5 minutes and set them aside until needed. 
  • Prep the Nuts: Place a clean large pan over medium heat and toast all the nuts from the largest to the smallest until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside until needed. 
  • Blend first batch: add into a blender the rehydrated peppers, onion, garlic, broth they were soaked in plus 1 additional cup of the broth. Puree until completely broken down and smooth. Strain if large pieces of chili skin were left behind. Transfer the sauce into a large container and proceed to blend the second batch. 
  • Blend second batch: add into a blender the fried tortilla, toasted nuts, cumin, cloves, black peppercorns and 2 cups of the chicken broth. Blend until completely broken down and smooth. Strain if needed(see information above.) Set to the side until needed. 
  • Make the mole: Place a large pot over medium heat and pour in 1 TBSP of avocado oil. When the oil is hot, pour in the first batch blended and stir to combine. If needed lower the heat to medium low because the sauce will begin to bubble/splatter. Now add the second blended batch as well and mix to combine. Add an additional 1/2 cup of the broth into the blender, swirl it in to get the last bit of the pureed ingredients and pour/strain into the pot. Mix, then allow it to cook on a gentle simmer for about 25 minutes or until it turns into a deeper red color and thickens. Stir as needed. When ready season with salt to taste and mix to combine. Add in the cooked chicken and coat it in the sauce. 
  • Ready to serve: Serve hot and drizzle lime juice over the mole, then mix it in with the spoon. Traditionally mole is paired with Mexican Rice and Corn tortillas. Enjoy!
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: Mole