Mexican Chilli-Chocolate MOLE Chicken
- 20m Prep Time
- 35m Cook Time
- 55m Ready In
A rich and complex Mexican mole sauce made with chipotle chillies, peanuts, and dark chocolate, served over griddled chicken breasts with creamy polenta and a fresh fennel-radish salad.
Ingredients
- 6 clove garlic peeled
- 1 15/16 oz peanuts
- 4 clove cloves
- 2 chipotle chillies
- 1 onion peeled and quartered
- 7/8 lbs tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 4 skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/16 oz dark chocolate (70–85% cocoa solids)
- 7/16 lbs quick-cook polenta
- 7/8 oz butter
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 3 8/15 oz radishes quartered
- 0.5 lime juice of
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 16 of 21 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 596 mg
- Iron: 15.1 mg
- Magnesium: 299 mg
- Phosphorus: 827 mg
- Potassium: 4790 mg
- Zinc: 5.33 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 1 15/16 oz peanuts
- 4 clove cloves
- 2 chipotle chillies
- 7/8 lbs tinned chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 5 tbsp olive oil
- 4 skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/16 oz dark chocolate (70–85% cocoa solids)
- 7/16 lbs quick-cook polenta
- 7/8 oz butter
- 2 fennel bulbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Prepare
- Peel 6 clove garlic
- 1 onion, peeled and quartered
- Quarter 3 8/15 oz radishes
- 0.5 lime, juice of
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Heat a large frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, peanuts, and cloves. Toast for 4–5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the peanuts start turning golden. While they toast, put the chipotle chillies in a small bowl and pour over 2 tablespoons boiling water; let them soften.
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Step 2.
Transfer the toasted peanuts, cloves, and garlic to a blender or food processor. Add the softened chillies with their soaking water, quartered onion, tinned tomatoes, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, brown sugar, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and a generous pinch of salt. Blend for 2 minutes until the sauce is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
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Step 3.
While the mole simmers, make the fennel salad: Shave the fennel bulbs using a slicer or mandolin and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the quartered radishes, lime juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, cover, and set aside.
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Step 4.
To cook the chicken, heat a griddle pan until smoking. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over the chicken breasts. Griddle for 10–12 minutes per side until tender and cooked through. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
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Step 5.
After the mole has simmered for 20 minutes, break the dark chocolate into the sauce and stir until melted. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to deepen the flavors.
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Step 6.
While the sauce finishes, make the polenta: Pour the quick-cook polenta into a saucepan and whisk in 800ml (scant 3½ cups) boiling water. Cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes, stirring continuously, until the water is absorbed and the polenta is tender. Stir in the butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. Serve the polenta with the chicken, spoon the mole sauce over the top, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve with the fennel salad.