Pollo en Mole Chicken Mole Sauce

Place the chicken pieces in a large pot with 4 cups of chicken broth, half an onion, and 2 garlic cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25-30 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Strain the broth and reserve it for the mole sauce.

Heat a dry comal or skillet over medium heat. Toast the dried ancho, mulato, and pasilla chiles for 1-2 minutes per side until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Transfer the toasted chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, and let them rehydrate for about 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

In the same dry skillet, toast the almonds, peanuts, and sesame seeds separately until lightly golden and fragrant. Remove and set aside. Next, lightly toast or fry the corn tortillas until slightly crisp. Break them into pieces. This adds thickness and flavor to the mole.

Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomatillos, remaining onion, and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the ground cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and dried oregano, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.

Combine the rehydrated chiles, sautéed aromatics and spices, toasted nuts, sesame seeds, and toasted tortilla pieces in a blender. Add about 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth. Blend until completely smooth. You may need to do this in batches. If the mixture is too thick, add more broth gradually until it reaches a thick, pourable consistency.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the same pot. Carefully pour the blended mole sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into the hot oil, pressing down on the solids to extract all liquid. This step is crucial for a smooth mole. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Add the Mexican chocolate and sugar or piloncillo. Continue to simmer for at least 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens and deepens in color. Season with salt to taste. It should taste rich and complex.

Add the cooked chicken pieces to the mole sauce. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes, allowing the chicken to absorb the flavors of the mole. Serve hot, garnished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Pollo en Mole is traditionally served with warm corn tortillas and Mexican rice.