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.
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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