A mole sauce is part of a family of sauces native to the Oaxaca and Puebla regions of Mexico. Its complex, layered flavors come from intricate blends of dried chiles, spices, and fruits. For a quick keto
version, we chose mole poblano, which uses spices, nuts, and unsweetened chocolate, with a little dried ancho to keep the dish’s deep, earthy flavor. We lightened our work by using easily available cocoa powder instead of purchasing unsweetened chocolate, and added unsweetened peanut butter—no nut grinding needed—for the mole’s smooth texture.
We did make the effort to blend toasted sesame seeds in with the other sauce ingredients, though, to replicate the nuttiness that usually comes from a longer simmering time. We opted not to brown the chicken that would be cooked in the mole, as the sauce’s boldness eclipses any caramelized notes acquired through browning. We simply covered the skinned chicken thighs with the mole and simmered the sauce until the thighs came to temperature. A sprinkling of remaining sesame seeds and scallions and a drizzle of bright lime crema were the perfect adornment to a deeply flavorful dish. Serve it on its own, with Whipped Cauliflower (this page), or with Cauliflower Rice (this page).
Jump to RecipeDirections :
- Toast ancho in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, scallion whites, and garlic to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, cocoa, and cinnamon and cook until mixture is emulsified and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in broth, salt, pepper, and ancho, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chile pieces are tender and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed.
- Return sauce to now-empty pot. Nestle chicken into pot and spoon some of sauce over top. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, then cover and cook until thighs register 185 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Bring sauce to simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juice to sauce and turn to coat. Serve chicken with mole, drizzling individual portions evenly with avocado crema and sprinkling with scallion greens.
Chicken Mole Poblano
Ingredients
- 1 dried ancho chile stemmed, seeded, and torn into ½- inch pieces (¼ cup)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 3 scallions white and green parts separated and sliced thin
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons creamy unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 8 5- to 7-ounce bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed, trimmed
- ½ cup Avocado Crema
Instructions
- Toast ancho in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes; transfer to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons oil, scallion whites, and garlic to now-empty skillet and cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, peanut butter, cocoa, and cinnamon and cook until mixture is emulsified and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in broth, salt, pepper, and ancho, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chile pieces are tender and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer mixture to blender and add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Process until smooth, 30 to 60 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed.
- Return sauce to now-empty pot. Nestle chicken into pot and spoon some of sauce over top. Bring to simmer over medium-low heat, then cover and cook until thighs register 185 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Transfer chicken to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Bring sauce to simmer over medium heat and cook until thickened and reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Return chicken and any accumulated juice to sauce and turn to coat. Serve chicken with mole, drizzling individual portions evenly with avocado crema and sprinkling with scallion greens.