Mole Poblano Recipe (Gluten-Free)
This rich and velvety Mole Poblano recipe is naturally gluten-free and full of traditional Mexican flavor. Three types of chiles add gentle heat, Mexican chocolate and brown sugar bring subtle sweetness, and it’s perfect over chicken or turkey.
Equipment
- comal (or griddle)
Ingredients
For the Chicken (optional but recommended, see instructions)
- 1 whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 whole head of garlic, top cut off
- 10-12 cups water
For the Mole
- 6 tomatillos, husked and washed
- 5 ancho chiles
- 5 mulato chiles
- 10 guajillo chiles
- ½ head of garlic (about 6 garlic cloves)
- 1 inch Ceylon cinnamon stick
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- reserved broth from the cooked chicken or store-bought broth
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1-2 round tablets of gluten-free Mexican chocolate
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon oil or lard
- ¼ cup sesame seeds
Instructions
Cook the Chicken: For the best flavor, use homemade broth from a whole cooked chicken. Or, if using pre-cooked chicken or store-bought broth, skip ahead to making the sauce.
- Add the chicken to a large pot. Add the head of garlic and kosher salt.
- Fill the pot with enough water to cover the chicken, about 10-12 cups. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower heat to a simmer for 1 hour. While the chicken cooks, use a spoon to remove any grey residue that floats to the top and discard.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken from the broth and set aside to cool. Discard the garlic and reserve the broth to use in the mole.
Make the Mole Sauce
- Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the tomatillos and boil until they have changed color to a pale green The tomatillos should be tender but not falling apart. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a comal (griddle) or heavy bottom pan on low. Toast the chiles on all sides until fragrant. Turn frequently to avoid burning. Set aside.
- Roast the garlic cloves with the peel still on and turn frequently until slightly golden on all sides. Remove from heat.
- Finally add the sesame seeds in a single layer. Stir frequently until the seeds are slightly browned. Set aside.
- Add 2 cups of chicken broth, tomatillos, garlic, chiles, cinnamon stick, ground cloves, salt and pepper to a blender. Blend until a smooth paste forms.
- If you are using a high-powered blender there is no need to strain. If not, use a mesh sieve to strain the sauce.
- Add the oil or lard to a large pot or Dutch oven. When the oil is hot and glistening, slowly pour in the mole sauce. Add in more chicken broth until you have a thick sauce.
- Add in the brown sugar and 1-2 tablets of Mexican chocolate (depending on how sweet you like your mole). Stir until the sugar and chocolate have dissolved.
- Taste for seasoning and add more salt as needed. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- If you cooked a whole chicken, shred it or carve into pieces.
- Add a portion of mole into a small pot as well as the chicken. Simmer for 5–10 minutes until warmed through.
- Serve the chicken with plenty of sauce on top and garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
- This mole can also be served over roasted turkey.
- Adjust the Heat: This version has a mild warmth from the chiles. Add 2–3 chiles de árbol if you prefer more spice.
- Balance the Sweetness: Each batch can taste slightly different depending on the chiles. Adjust the chocolate and brown sugar to your liking — add more for sweetness or reduce for a more savory mole.
Nutrition
Serving: 115gCalories: 131kcalCarbohydrates: 17.6gProtein: 2.6gFat: 6.2gCholesterol: 1.4mgSodium: 256mgPotassium: 372mgFiber: 4.4gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 2.5mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
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