Mole Coloradito
One of the legendary seven moles of Oaxaca: a perfect balance of sweet and savory, crafted with dried Mexican chilies, chocolate, tomatoes, spices, and subtly thickened with traditional sweet bread, served over chicken with red rice.
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85 min
Mexicana (Oaxaqueña)
4 servings
The story behind
You seriously have absolutely no idea what an incredible culinary masterpiece this dish is—it is pure Oaxacan magic on a plate! The very first time I experienced an authentic mole coloradito was at a bustling local market in Oaxaca City. I was completely spellbound watching the massive clay pots bubbling away and how this particular mole, unlike the dark mole negro, has a vibrant, glossy reddish-brown tone and a beautifully balanced profile where the subtle heat of chilies meets the rich sweetness of stone-ground chocolate. The market cook proudly shared with me that the golden secret to achieving its velvety, smooth texture is thickening the sauce with pieces of traditional egg-yolk bread toasted on the griddle, blending everything until it perfectly coats the back of a spoon. Personally, I absolutely love prepping this for long, slow Sunday family dinners when you want a true taste of Mexican heritage. It looks identical to the photo layout when you plate a generous mound of fluffy red rice alongside a tender chicken piece heavily smothered in piping hot mole, finished with a cascade of toasted sesame seeds, exactly like the setup in mole coloradito.jpg. To drink, a cold glass of horchata or a neat shot of smoky mezcal makes the ultimate pairing. You are going to fall in love with it!
Instructions
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1On a hot comal or griddle over medium heat, roast the whole tomatoes, white onion piece, and garlic cloves until the skins are deeply charred and blistered; remove and set aside.
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2On the same griddle, flash-toast the guajillo and ancho chilies for a few seconds per side until fragrant but not blackened, then submerge them completely in a cup of hot chicken broth for 10 minutes to soften.
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3Blend the rehydrated chilies along with the roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, slice of toasted sweet bread, ground cinnamon, and a splash of broth until an incredibly smooth, lump-free paste forms; run it through a fine sieve.
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4Heat a tablespoon of pork lard or oil in a deep pot over medium heat and pour in the strained chili paste, frying it patiently for 10 minutes until it darkens into a deep mahogany color and tiny oil beads appear on top.
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5Drop the half tablet of Oaxacan chocolate into the mole, stirring continuously in a circular motion until fully melted and integrated into a glossy, sweet-scented sauce.
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6Adjust the seasoning with a pinch of salt, thin out with a touch more broth if the texture is too heavy, and submerge the pre-cooked chicken pieces into the bubbling hot mole for 5 minutes over low heat to infuse.
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7To plate up flawlessly just like the layout in mole coloradito.jpg, spoon a clean mound of fluffy red rice onto the left half of a wide white plate, rest the richly coated chicken piece on the right side, and cascade the toasted sesame seeds generously over the top right before bringing to the table.
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