Simple Mole Enchiladas with Shredded Chicken
For those of you unfamiliar with Mexican cuisine, it is not pronounced “mole” like the animal! It’s pronounced like MOH-lay, and in English, it’s often followed by the word “sauce” to eliminate any confusion that may arise. This is my recipe for super simple mole enchiladas, smothered in delicious mole sauce and stuffed with shredded chicken.
So many moles, so little time.
Mole sauce causes a lot of debates at my house. Why? Because all mole sauces taste a bit different. You need to stumble upon the one that appeals to you. So if you try this one and don’t love it, don’t fret! There’s a mole sauce out there for you, too. This one was a winner for my family and our guests. In my opinion, it has a perfectly layered balance of spicy, smokey, and earthy-sweet notes.
How many ingredients are in a mole sauce?
Most mole sauces have 20 or more ingredients and take several hours to make. My fast and simple mole sauce recipe can be put together in just 35 minutes! Add some shredded chicken, black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, and tortillas, and you’ve got a batch of enchiladas on the way. Who’s hungry?
The thickness of the sauce is a matter of preference. Just add more or less stock depending on what you like. You can use a store-bought rotisserie chicken or get out that InstantPot to make my easy shredded chicken recipe.
What is mole and what do you serve it with?
So what is mole, anyway? Well, mole is basically a Mexican chile sauce with a secret ingredient… chocolate! This richly flavored salsa also happens to be Mexico’s national dish, and probably one of the only opportunities you’ll ever get to incorporate chocolate into a savory dish. Like many recipes, mole sauces are influenced by family traditions and the region they come from. Though some mole recipes do not have chocolate in them, most do.
Different regions tend to use different types of chiles, but most recipes use chile peppers of some variety, along with spices, fruits, and nuts. Most contain chocolate. It’s believed that the origin of mole sauce can be traced all the way back to the Aztecs, who had a lot of uses for cacao in their culture. Mole sauce is usually served over chicken or turkey dishes… and you’ll soon see why!
What’s the main ingredient in mole?
Yep, it’s the chocolate that gives my easy mole sauce its distinctive flavor. What kind of midwesterner would think that a chile-based sauce would have chocolate in it? Well, I discovered that chocolate has a savory side and mole sauce is one of the best ways to enjoy it. Mole is a true melding of New World and Old World flavors. You will find chocolate, fruit, and spices in my recipe.
What’s the best chocolate to use for making mole?
Try to find a Mexican stone-ground chocolate, like Taza discs, for your recipe. Stone-ground Mexican chocolate tends to be more on the bitter side and has a slight gritty texture that adds depth to your dish (or your hot chocolate). It’s sold in scored disks that you can break apart, and it’s easy to find in international markets or online.
Simple Homemade Chicken Mole Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 chipotle pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground ancho chile pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the chipotle pepper can (more if you like a bit more heat!)
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup almond or peanut butter
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 medium orange)
- 2 to 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 ounces bittersweet Mexican chocolate, like Taza brand, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil, as needed
- 8 six-inch tortillas
- 3 cups loosely packed shredded cooked chicken or 1 batch of my Simple Instant Pot™ Shredded Chicken Recipe
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (about 1 large sweet potato, roasted, peeled and mashed)
- ½ cup crumbled queso fresco
- ¾ cup crumbled queso fresco
- 2 tablespoons pepitas
- ¼ cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, add the onion and sauté for several minutes until the onions become softened and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Make sure not to burn the garlic!
- Add the chipotle pepper, Ancho chile pepper, cinnamon, cumin, adobo sauce, and tomatoes with green chiles. Stir to combine.
- Reduce the heat. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the peanut butter, raisins, orange zest, and 2 cups of stock.
- Turn off the heat. Puree the mixture in either a high speed blender or a food processor. You may need to do this in batches. Then, return the mixture to the saucepan and return to a simmer.
- Add the chopped chocolate and stir until it’s melted. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper and additional chile powder or chipotle pepper to taste. Voila! It’s mole sauce.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, mashed sweet potatoes and ½ cup of the queso fresco. Season with salt and pepper—and that’s your filling!
- In a large skillet, heat just enough oil (from the remaining ⅓ cup) to coat the bottom of the pan. In batches, lightly fry tortillas. They’re done after about 30 seconds, when they’re lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.
- Pour 1 cup of the mole sauce into a pie pan and another 1 cup into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking pan.
- Dip one tortilla into the mole in the pie pan. Flip it over to coat the other side. Fill the tortilla with ⅓ cup of the filling. Roll up the filled tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking pan.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling. Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the top of the enchiladas with the remaining queso fresco, pepitas, red onion and cilantro. Enjoy!
