Quick Summary: The authentic approach to Oaxaca’s yellow mole using dried guajillo and ancho chiles, toasted whole spices, and charred tomatillos. Served over chicken and chayote squash for a low carb version of this classic Oaxacan dish. More labor-intensive than the spice blend version but delivers exceptional depth. Includes step-by-step instructions for building mole from scratch. Prep: 10 min | Cook: 45 min | Serves: 6
Jump to: |RECIPE | What is Mole Amarillo? | Ingredients | Building the Sauce | Steps for the Stew | How to Use Chayote | FAQ
This is the traditional approach to mole amarillo: toasting and rehydrating dried chiles, charring tomatillos and onions, grinding whole spices, and building the sauce layer by layer. It takes more time than the spice blend version, but the depth of flavor rewards the effort.
I’ve substituted chayote for the traditional potatoes, making this slow carb friendly while preserving the essential character of the dish. Chayote’s mild crunch pairs well with the tangy, complex mole sauce.
If you’re new to making moles from scratch, this is a good starting point. Mole amarillo is simpler than mole negro or mole rojo. Once you’ve made this, the techniques transfer to the more complex moles.
Check out this collection of mole recipes, which covers moles made in traditional methods to modified easier versions.
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Mole Amarillo in the Seven Moles of Oaxaca
Mole amarillo is one of the seven traditional moles of Oaxaca. Each mole has a distinct character:
The darker moles (negro, chichilo) are the most complex, with the longest ingredient lists and deepest flavors. They’re typically reserved for celebrations and special occasions.
The lighter moles (amarillo, verde) are brighter, tangier, and more accessible for everyday cooking. They still have complexity but don’t require as many ingredients or as much time.
Mole amarillo translates to “yellow mole,” referring to its color from chilhuacle amarillo peppers. Since those peppers are nearly impossible to find outside Oaxaca, this recipe uses guajillo and ancho chiles, which produce a more orange color but capture the essential flavor profile.
Key Ingredients
- Dried chiles: Guajillo (bright, tangy) and ancho (earthy, mild) substitute for the rare chilhuacle amarillo. Toast until fragrant, rehydrate in hot water.
- Whole spices: Black peppercorns, cloves, cumin seeds. Toast briefly, grind fresh. This makes a noticeable difference compared to pre-ground spices.
- Tomatillos: Provide the tangy base. Char under the broiler until blistered.
- Masa harina: Optional, but adds body and silkiness to the sauce. Traditional moles use it as a thickener.
- Chayote: Substitutes for potatoes. Low carb, mild flavor, slight crunch.
How to Build the Mole Sauce
Each step builds flavor. The toasting develops the chiles’ complexity. The charring adds sweetness and smokiness. The grinding releases the spices’ essential oils. The simmering marries everything together.
It sounds complicated, but once you’ve done it a few times, the process becomes intuitive.
- Toast the chiles: Heat a dry skillet over medium-high. Add dried guajillo and ancho chiles, pressing with a spatula. Cook 2-3 minutes per side until fragrant and slightly blistered. Don’t burn them.
- Rehydrate: Place toasted chiles in a bowl, cover with boiling water. Soak 10 minutes until pliable. Remove stems and seeds. Reserve the soaking water.
- Toast the spices: In the same skillet, toast peppercorns, cloves, and cumin seeds 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Cool, then grind to powder.
- Char the vegetables: Place tomatillos, quartered onion, tomato, and garlic on a sheet pan. Broil until charred on top (about 7 minutes), turn, char the other side. Cool, then peel if desired.
- Blend: Combine rehydrated chiles, charred vegetables, and ground spices in a blender. Add some chile soaking water to reach sauce consistency. Blend until smooth.
- Simmer: Heat oil in a saucepan. Add the blended sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt.
- Thicken (optional): Whisk masa harina with cold water, stir into simmering sauce.
Sauce (Step by Step)
Here are the steps lined out with photos. For the recipe of the whole stew, see the recipe card below.
*Tip: After charring fresh peppers, tomatillos or tomatoes, you can close them inside a paper bag for a few minutes to steam. They should be easier to peel when removed.
All About Chayote
Chayote (chai-OH-tay)is a pear-shaped, light green vegetable belonging to the gourd family. It has a crunchy texture and a mild, sweet flavor, similar to a summer squash. It’s popular in Mexican cooking as a vegetable side or stew ingredient.
Why use it here: Chayote substitutes for the potatoes traditionally served with mole amarillo. It’s significantly lower in carbs while providing similar bulk and texture.
To prepare: Peel with a vegetable peeler (the skin is edible but tough). Cut in half, remove the large seed, cut into chunks. The flesh doesn’t brown after cutting.
Where to find it: Latin American groceries, Walmart produce sections, larger supermarkets.
Some people think it tastes like a cross between a cucumber and an apple. In fact, a lot of recipes use chayote as a substitute for apples in low carb apple strudels or pies.
The photo below is what ”fresh” chayote looks like.
Is Chayote Healthy?
Chayote is rich in fiber, antioxidants, iron, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, copper and vitamins B1, B2, B6 and C. It is a good food for easing acid reflux, and it is said to lower blood pressure.
Is Chayote Slow Carb or Keto?
Although chayote isn’t necessarily as low carb as some other vegetables (like greens or broccoli), it’s definitely lower carb than potatoes and some other high-starch vegetables.
One whole chayote squash has 6 grams of carbs. However, it also has 2.2 grams of fiber, giving it a grand total of 3.8 net carbs.
See this post to learn more about the similarities and differences between Low Carb, Slow Carb and Keto diets.
How to Peel and Cut Chayote
Though chayote can be consumed raw and with the peel on, removing the peel and cooking the chayote helps to make it softer and more palatable.
To prepare chayote for the chicken mole recipe below, you need to peel off the skin, usually with a common vegetable peeler. It can then be cut into different sized pieces, depending on what you are making.
Most often you can cut the fruit down the middle and then cut the halves into quarters. This makes it easy to remove the large seeds by scraping it out with a knife or spoon.
How to Grow Chayote
Chayote is common in Central and South America and grows the best in tropical or sub-tropical environments. However, they are easy to grow compared to other perennial vegetables if you have a long growing season.
You can grow chayote in containers, however, the yield will not be as great as growing them in the ground. Sow the seeds 10 feet apart if growing in the ground.
They grow well with other squash, corn or peppers and can be complementary in cooking. Chayote are climbing plants, so you will want to trellis them or plant them near something they can climb on, like a fence.
If you’d like more tips on how to grow chayote, here is an article from The Survival Gardener. with videos and helpful growing hints.
Recipes Using Chayote
Chayote is very versatile. Similarly to other squashes, you can broil, bake, fry or eat chayote raw. You can toss it in salads or puree it in soups. Here are a few of our favorite dishes using chayote:
- Baked chayote “apple” crisp
- Pickled chayote
- Chayote and carrot coleslaw
- Roasted chayote with sheet pan or traybake dinners
- Chayote, tomato and cucumber salad
Chayote also pairs well with ground pork or beef, shrimp, or eggs. It would be a great ingredient in spring rolls or cabbage rolls with any of these ingredients!
How to Make Chicken Mole Amarillo
The details for ingredients and directions are in the recipe card below. In short:
- Make the mole sauce using the steps above. Set aside.
- Cook the chicken: Bring chicken broth to a boil in a Dutch oven. Add chicken thighs, reduce heat, cover, simmer 15 minutes.
- Add vegetables: Add chayote chunks and asparagus spears. Continue simmering 10-15 minutes until chayote is tender.
- Serve: Transfer chicken and vegetables to bowls. Ladle broth over. Warm the mole sauce and spoon over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
The mole sauce is served over the dish rather than cooked into it. This preserves its bright flavor and allows each person to control how much sauce they want.
FAQ
This version toasts and rehydrates whole dried chiles and grinds whole spices. The result is slightly more complex, but requires more time and technique. The spice blend version is faster and more accessible for weeknight cooking.
Yes. The sauce keeps refrigerated for 5 days and freezes for 3 months. Reheat gently, adding water if too thick.
True mole amarillo made with chilhuacle amarillo peppers is yellow. This version using guajillo and ancho chiles produces more of an orange color. The flavor profile is similar.
Green tomatoes with extra lime juice approximate the tangy flavor. The result will be different but still good.
Yes. It works as an enchilada sauce, a topping for grilled fish, or a sauce for pork.
Check out this complete guide to stocking your pantry for Mexican cooking, from everyday meals to holiday celebrations.
Chicken Mole Amarillo with Chayote
Equipment
- bowls
Ingredients
- 3 dried guajillo chile peppers
- 1-2 dried ancho chile peppers
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 4 whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 tomatillos unpeeled
- 1 firm Roma tomato quartered
- 1 onion unpeeled and cut into quarters
- 3 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 teaspoons masa harina or white corn meal
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 6 large chicken thighs skinless and boneless
- 1 medium chayote peeled and sliced into large chunks
- 1 bunch fresh asparagus
- cilantro to taste, optional
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Do not add oil to the skillet because you will be toasting ingredients rather than sautéing.
- First add all the dried chile peppers to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat, turning once. Remove from skillet and place on cutting board. Let them cool a bit and then cut peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Place in a bowl and pour enough boiling water over the peppers to cover. Let them soak (rehydrate) for about 10 minutes.3 dried guajillo chile peppers, 1-2 dried ancho chile peppers
- While peppers are soaking, toast the peppercorns, cloves and cumin seeds for 1-2 minutes or until just fragrant. Remove from skillet and grind up in a spice grinder until finely ground.10 whole black peppercorns, 4 whole cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- In the skillet, cook the tomatillos, tomato and onion about 7 minutes or until charred, turning occasionally. Add the garlic for the last minute or so. Remove everything from heat, let everything cool. Then peel the tomatillos and tomato. *note: you can put the tomatillos and tomato in a paper bag and close it up so that they steam for around 5 minutes. This will make them easier to peel.4 tomatillos, 1 firm Roma tomato, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Drain the chile peppers (reserving the chile water) and add the peppers, peeled tomatillos, tomato and onion to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the toasted spices and process until combined.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high and add the processed pepper mixture and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes.1 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a small bowl whisk together the water and corn meal and add to the simmering pepper mixture. Cook briefly until it reaches a low boil.2 tablespoons cold water, 2 teaspoons masa harina
- In a 6-quart Dutch oven, bring the 4 cups chicken broth to a boil. Add the chicken thighs and reduce the heat. Cover the pot and simmer about 15 minutes. Then add the chayote and asparagus. Simmer, covered 10-15 more minutes until chayote is tender.4 cups chicken broth, 6 large chicken thighs, 1 medium chayote, 1 bunch fresh asparagus
- To serve: Transfer the chicken thighs and vegetables to a plate with a slotted spoon (unless you want more of a soup) and spoon the mole over the chicken and vegetables. Garnish with cilantro if desired.cilantro
Dorothy Stainbrook says: 
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