Mole Amarillo with Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 whole guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 whole ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• ½ medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¾ teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 whole black peppercorns
• 2 whole whole cloves
• 1 whole corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
• ¼ cup sliced white onion
• 2 whole lime wedges

Instructions

1. 1

   Set a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the 3 guajillo chiles and 2 ancho chiles directly to the dry pan. Toast them for 30 seconds per side, pressing gently with a spatula — you'll smell their aroma deepen and see wisps of smoke. Transfer to a bowl and cover with 1 cup of hot water. Let soak for 10 minutes until softened.

2. 2

   While the chiles soak, return the same skillet to medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 0.75 teaspoon of coriander seeds, 0.75 teaspoon of dried oregano, 4 black peppercorns, and 2 whole cloves to the dry pan. Toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened — listen for gentle popping and watch for the spices to deepen in color. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

3. 3

   Return the skillet to medium heat and add 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces. Toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown and smell nutty. Transfer to a blender.

4. 4

   Drain the soaked chiles (discard soaking liquid) and add them to the blender along with the toasted spices. Roughly chop 0.5 medium yellow onion and add it to the blender along with 4 peeled garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, and 1 cup of unsalted chicken stock. Blend on high for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth and creamy — you should see no visible chile pieces. For an extra-smooth sauce, strain through a fine-mesh strainer if desired, pressing with the back of a spoon.

5. 5

   Set a 12-inch heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and let it shimmer, about 1 minute. Pat 1.5 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this removes surface moisture so they sear instead of steam.

6. 6

   Once the oil is shimmering, carefully place the chicken thighs in the pot without crowding — work in batches if needed. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Let them sear undisturbed for 4-5 minutes until the bottoms are deeply golden and release easily from the pot. You should hear a steady, confident sizzle. Flip and sear the other side for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

7. 7

   Reduce the heat to medium and carefully pour the mole paste into the pot, scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to deglaze and capture all the browned bits. Stir constantly for 2-3 minutes as the paste darkens slightly and releases its aromas — this step blooms the spices and deepens the flavor.

8. 8

   Pour in 2 cups of unsalted chicken stock, stirring to combine. Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat — you'll see small bubbles breaking the surface steadily. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part), and the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the back of a spoon.

9. 9

   Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if needed.

10. 10

    Divide the chicken and mole sauce among four shallow bowls or plates. Garnish generously with 0.25 cup of roughly chopped fresh cilantro and 0.25 cup of sliced white onion. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing. Pair with warm corn tortillas or white rice.

Tools you’ll need

• 10-inch skillet
• 12-inch heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
• small bowl
• blender
• fine-mesh strainer (optional)
• wooden spoon
• instant-read thermometer
• paper towels
• spatula

More recipes like this

• 

  Easy Seafood Chowder

  25 min

• 

  Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

  10 min

• 

  Split Pea Soup with Pork

  45 min

• 

  Alabama Hickory Smoked Ribs

  150 min