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Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry

April 23, 2014 By Laura 17 Comments

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Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry is a delicious introduction to using chocolate in Mexican mole sauce. A copy of Bold: A Cookbook of Big Flavors was sent to me by the publishers for the purposes of an honest review. Affiliate links have been used to link to items discussed in this post.

Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry

This is another timely Mexican dish post that I think would be fabulous for Cinco de Mayo–or any other time of year. It also became relevant to Alex’s end of year Spanish language Mexican food party that I told you about. Because the teacher, with every good intention in the world, brought in jarred commercial mole negro sauce for tasting. To a group of rural Middle America kids who had never even heard the word mole, let alone tried any of the different varieties traditionally made in Mexico.

I could have cried.

I realize this seems like an extreme overreaction. But I think of myself as an ambassador of sorts when it comes to unfamiliar, often international foods and children. I have done a darn good job with my own kids. Even in this case, when every single person in the room reacted with wrinkled noses and gags (mole is strong and meant to be served with protein not eaten with a spoon, black mole is extremely bitter to our north of the border palates, and this was cheap jarred mole, nothing homemade–and it was quite spicy hot), Alex told the other kids I have made several different kinds of mole and she loved them all. But it did not matter. I saw the looks on their faces. Most of those kids are intent on not trying mole any time soon. Which is a shame.

Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry

Mole, kind of like curry in Thailand, can mean many different preparations. Almost all of them involve some combination of ground dried chile peppers, nuts, dried fruits, etc. Some have Spanish ingredients added, such as the sherry in this mole. Mole sauce can be light, dark or in between. The classic mole that many of us think of is indeed the mole negro, black from unsweetened chocolate and ground nuts and dried fruits. This particular “mock” mole is a great mole to try if you are curious about using chocolate in a mole but are not quite ready for the bitter majesty of the Oaxacan Negro. It is much less bitter and includes Spanish influences from the sherry, orange and even the almonds, an Old World nut. It is flat out delicious.

Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry

I found the basis of this recipe in Victoria Wise and Susanna Hoffman’s Bold: A Cookbook of Big Flavors, which I pretty much shamelessly begged the publisher to send me for review. And I am so glad I did! The recipes are just what it claims, a boldly flavored, internationally influenced celebration of the melting pot that American cuisine has become. There are no photographs, which is a bummer, but there are loads of recipes (250+), most of which I have bookmarked! Chicken Breasts in Coffee, Vanilla, Sundried Tomato and Currant Cream. Yum! Nori-Topped Seared Tuna with Ginger Carrot Puree! Panko-Crusted Mahi Mahi with Polynesian Mango Chutney! Bittersweet Chocolate and Espresso Butterscotch Pie in Shortbread Crust!

OK I am stopping because I am getting hungry and it is late at night.

I chose to serve this dish with a lime and cilantro rice, and I thought the acid of the lime perfectly complemented the rich mole sauce.

Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry

5 from 1 vote
Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry
Print
Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry
Adapted from Victoria Wise and Susanna Hoffman
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: TheSpicedLife
Ingredients
  • 1-2 T extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3-4 lbs chicken pieces (I used a mix of breast and thigh, bone in and boneless)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed
  • 1 whole star anise
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup all natural almond butter
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (for me 4 oranges)
  • 1/2 cup Amontillado dry sherry
  • 2 T tomato paste (I prefer double strength)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 T ancho chile powder
  • 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro, including stems
  • 1 t red wine vinegar
  • 1 t cider vinegar
  • 1 bar (about 3.5 oz) 85% cacao chocolate
  • 1/2 t Ceylon cinnamon
  • cilantro-lime rice to serve
Instructions
  1. Sprinkle salt and pepper over your chicken pieces.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium heat. When it is shimmering, add the chicken pieces. You may want to add them in batches to prevent steaming depending on the size of your pan. Brown on both sides, about 6-8 minutes, total.
  3. Remove the chicken to a large bowl and set aside.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil with the star anise. When it is roasted and fragrant, but not burned (watch it), add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the garlic and mix it in. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the almond butter, chicken stock, orange juice, sherry, tomato paste and bay leaf. Mix to incorporate. Mix in the ancho powder with a decent pinch of salt, about half teaspoon.
  7. Add the chicken with accumulated juices back into the pan. Cover tightly and place on the lowest heat to maintain a very gentle simmer.
  8. Cook for 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
  9. In the meantime, toss the chopped cilantro with the 2 different kinds of vinegar.
  10. When the chicken is cooked through, remove it to a (new, clean) bowl. Add the chocolate and cinnamon to the sauce and increase the heat to medium high. Stir as the chocolate melts and the sauce simmers.
  11. Let it simmer briskly for 15 minutes, until it has thickened.
  12. Stir the chicken (once again, with accumulated juices) back into the sauce. Stir in the vinegar cilantro mixture. Taste for more salt.
  13. Serve with cilantro lime rice (see below for recipe).
5 from 1 vote
Chicken with Mock Mole Sauce of Almonds, Orange, Chocolate and Sherry
Print
Cilantro Lime Rice
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Mexican
Author: TheSpicedLife
Ingredients
  • 2 cup uncooked basmati rice
  • 2 T salt
  • 1 T unsalted butter
  • juice from 1 1/2 juicy limes, to taste
  • 1 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the salt.
  2. Add the rice and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the rice is no longer crunchy.
  3. Drain the rice. Add the rice back into the pot. Squeeze half of one lime over the rice and add a tablespoon of butter. Tightly seal the rice and let it steam for 20 minutes.
  4. When the 20 minutes is up, add the juice of 1 lime and the cilantro. Toss. Add more lime juice if desired.

 

I received a copy of the cookbook Bold: A Cookbook of Big Flavors for free from the publisher for reviewing. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated in any way beyond receiving the book for this post.

Affiliate links were used in this post, but only to link to items I would be discussing and linking to anyway.

Filed Under: almonds, chicken, chocolate, cookbooks, lime, Mexican dishes, Mexican Mole, oranges, reviews Tagged With: #CincodeMayo, almond, almond butter, chicken, chicken breast, chicken thighs, chocolate, cilantro, Cinco de Mayo, lime, mexican, mole, orange, rice, sherry

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Comments

  1. Joanne says

    April 24, 2014 at 7:21 am

    Storebought mole definitely cannot hold a candle to anything you made at home! And you’re right, it really needs to be served WITH something. Had the teacher herself even ever tried mole before?!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      April 24, 2014 at 2:59 pm

      No lol. She was horrified and found it disgusting too. I had a sad, sinking feeling she might not even ever try it again!

      Reply
  2. Lisa says

    April 26, 2014 at 9:05 am

    I adore mole, but I’ve never made it myself. I’ve either eaten it in restaurants when I was in the States, or eaten the “yuckky” jarred kind. This recipe has motivated me! As soon as I get my hands on some ancho chile powder I want to make it!

    Reply
  3. Donalyn@TheCreeksideCook says

    May 4, 2014 at 6:32 pm

    I have been learning to make mole – I never even tried that awful looking stuff in the store. One of our favorite restaurants has an awesome house mole that I cannot resist!

    Reply
  4. Scrumptious Scran (Chris B) says

    May 5, 2014 at 6:47 am

    I’m a big fan of Spanish food, and have recently started to really get into Latin American cuisine, so am delighted to have discovered this recipe. Looks like a terrific combination of flavours, plus I love cooking with sherry. Just writing up a recipe I cooked over the weekend for neck of Black Face sheep mutton, slow braised in sherry, garilc and rosemary, and served with char-grilled asparagus and salsa verde.

    Definitely going to give your recipe a try this weekend – thank you!

    Reply
    • Laura says

      May 5, 2014 at 9:21 am

      I have never had mutton, but that sounds delicious. Let me know how you like the mole!

      Reply
  5. A_Boleyn says

    May 7, 2014 at 1:41 pm

    I think that teacher had her heart in the right place even if the execution was faulty. I agree that she should really have tried it herself first. I wonder if she thought that a chocolate based sauce would be especially appealing to children Alex’s age and ‘mole’ is a pretty exotic sauce. She could have just given them Mexican chocolate. Or alfajores.

    a-boleyn.livejournal.com/139723.html

    Or churros with chocolate sauce.

    The first time I ever had mole was in a restaurant. Since then I have used a jarred mole sauce and dressed it up to my taste. I cook for one and while I COULD make one of the many mole varieties from scratch, I’d have to freeze most of it. Maybe I will one day but for now, it’s not in my plans. I’d rather save my time for other things, like home made tamales with pulled pork, chorizo, pupusas with curtido etc . 🙂

    a-boleyn.livejournal.com/tag/mexican

    Reply
  6. Cinnamon Vogue says

    August 15, 2014 at 4:29 pm

    5 stars
    Brilliant. Unlike most chefs you did not forget this actually needs Ceylon Cinnamon. And great photos. This is a recipe I can recommend and Pin.

    Reply
  7. pam (Sidewalk Shoes) says

    March 12, 2015 at 9:25 am

    I haven’t made a mole in ages. Need to get busy on that.

    Reply
  8. Mary Ellen says

    March 12, 2015 at 9:38 am

    I need to make this soon! Love all of these flavors…

    Reply
  9. Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says

    March 12, 2015 at 12:08 pm

    I’ve been trying to make a good “mock” mole for years, but it is never quite right. Definitely trying this one!

    Reply
  10. Lauren @ Wicked Spatula says

    March 12, 2015 at 8:15 pm

    I love the bitterness of traditional mole but I tend to make is on the sweeter side as well.

    Reply
  11. Susan | LunaCafe says

    March 12, 2015 at 11:45 pm

    5 stars
    Love mole and this one sounds great. Now I have to run buy that cookbook. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Michelle@HealthiersSteps says

    March 13, 2015 at 1:57 am

    I have tasted mole from out of a jar before and found the flavor unique and couldn’t relate it to anything I have had. You delicious description gives me hope in wanting to give it a try again and create a dish using mole sauce. Thanks

    Reply
  13. Laura @MotherWouldKnow says

    March 13, 2015 at 2:53 pm

    I love mole and mostly make mine semi-homemade using Dona Maria sauce. But I’m hoping to do Pati Jinich’s version totally from scratch one day soon. And now, I’ll add this one to the “from scratch” list because it looks so fabulous!

    Reply
  14. Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says

    March 13, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    O my! That almond butter and cocoa! I can imagine the wonderful flavors!

    Reply
  15. Patricia @ Grab a Plate says

    March 13, 2015 at 6:04 pm

    This sounds so good! Hope those kids take another opportunity to try a good version of mole! I haven’t made it myself, but have been dying to.

    Reply

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Hi! I’m Laura and I am a recovering history major who has re-channeled all of my passion for learning about the history of different countries to learning about their food culture. That doesn’t mean every dish on here is strictly authentic, but it does mean that even my adaptations are not undertaken lightly. My goal is to show you–by doing–that these dishes are possible in your kitchen. Including desserts because I have quite the sweet tooth! Read More…

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