- A variety of dried chiles — guajillo, ancho, pasilla negro, mulato, and chiles de árbol — contributes layers of fruitiness, heat, and subtle smokiness to the sauce.
- Toasted sesame seeds and pepitas add nutty depth that rounds out the savory, slightly sweet tomato-onion base.
- A modest amount of Mexican chocolate enriches the sauce with gentle sweetness and complexity, letting the chiles and aromatics shine without overpowering them.
At La Guerrera’s Kitchen in Oakland, this chicken mole is inspired by a recipe from chef Ofelia Barajas’ grandmother, Jovita Vargas, It’s the same one Vargas served at her own restaurant in Guerrero, Mexico. It’s rich, warm, and well-balanced, with a variety of chiles adding deep, smoky-sweet layers of flavor.
Does mole always have chocolate?
Though not all moles contain chocolate, this recipe does include it. Barajas uses just 3 ounces here — enough to add flavor complexity but not enough to be overtly discernible in the finished dish.
What is mole served with?
Serve chicken mole with rice and fresh tortillas to swipe up every drop of sauce.
Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen
- As you fry the individual ingredients, Barajas recommends smelling and tasting each one, including the chiles, to create a connection with each — and to learn how to build the flavors that make a great mole. The payoff is a luscious and complex sauce that drapes over tender chicken.
- Find dried chiles, bolillo, and Mexican chocolate at Latin grocery stores or online.
