Quick Summary: A simplified approach to Mexican mole rojo using a fresh spice blend instead of roasting and rehydrating whole dried peppers. Achieves the complex, slightly chocolatey, gently spicy flavor of traditional mole in under an hour. Includes comparison of mole rojo vs mole poblano, tips for using pre-made mole sauce, and a DIY mole spice blend recipe. Tested against traditional methods. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 45 min | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Mole Rojo? | Key Ingredients | Mole Rojo vs Mole Poblano | Using Mole Spice Blend | Mole Blend Recipe | FAQ
A traditional mole rojo requires roasting and peeling fresh peppers, toasting and rehydrating dried peppers, grinding nuts and seeds, and simmering everything together.
It’s a labor of love, and the results are extraordinary. It also leaves my kitchen in chaos and takes most of a day.
This version uses a fresh mole spice blend that I developed on my farm and sell at the St. Paul Farmers’ market. The ingredients and amounts of my signature spice blend are in the recipe below.
The blend includes smoked chile peppers, cocoa powder, and the warming spices that define mole. Combining this spice blend with peanut butter (for the nut richness) and chicken broth, produces a sauce remarkably close to the traditional version.
I’ve tested this against moles I brought back from Oaxaca and against moles I’ve made from scratch. The spice blend version isn’t identical, but it’s close enough for a weeknight dinner, and infinitely more practical.
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What Is Mole Rojo?
Mole rojo is one of the seven traditional moles of Oaxaca, Mexico. It’s a red sauce made from dried chile peppers (typically ancho, pasilla, and guajillo), ground nuts or seeds, spices, and a small amount of chocolate. The flavor is complex: gently spicy, slightly sweet, with earthy depth from the chiles.
Mole rojo is traditionally served over chicken or pork, often for celebrations and special occasions. The traditional sauce takes hours to prepare properly, which is why it’s reserved for times when the effort is worthwhile.
The color comes primarily from the dried red chiles. The chocolate is supporting, not dominant. If someone says “mole tastes like chocolate sauce,” they haven’t had a quality traditional mole rojo.
Mole Rojo vs Mole Poblano
Mole rojo and mole poblano are sometimes used interchangeably as they are similar, but there are nuanced distinctions. The basic ingredient distinction is:
- Mole rojo is from Oaxaca, one of the seven traditional Oaxacan moles. It uses less chocolate and relies heavily on dried red chiles for color and flavor.
- Mole poblano is from Puebla (hence “poblano”). It typically uses more chocolate and has a darker color. This is what most Americans think of as “mole.”
Mole Rojo and Mole Poblano use many of the same ingredients, but the type and amount of chiles used will also vary. Several kinds of dried red chiles can be used in either dish, like pasilla, guajillo and ancho.
In truth, moles vary from village to village, and from cook to cook. Someone outside of Puebla may prefer to call their dark mole (with chocolate) Negro, just because they are not Poblano.
If you want to experience the full range of moles, don’t forget the pipian, the mole verde, mole negro and the fruity manchamantales.
This recipe for a chicken pipian verde (picture below) highlights a rich blend of pumpkin seeds, spices, tomatillos, and roasted poblano peppers.
Key Ingredients of Mole Rojo
The ingredients in a mole rojo typically include:
- onion,
- garlic,
- chile peppers: commonly pasilla and ancho and sometimes guajillo),
- ground nuts or sesame seeds,
- toasted bread,
- spices,
- oil,
- sugar,
- and occasionally a small amount of sweet chocolate.
These ingredients are then mixed with water or chicken broth before being heated and boiled into a sauce.
Mole rojo is deep red in color, usually medium spicy, and with a texture between a paste and a sauce.
Can a Spice Blend Compare to Scratch?
To a degree, but ultimately it depends on the blend.
A fresh spice blend made with quality dried chiles, properly toasted and ground, can rival scratch mole. The key is freshness. A spice blend that’s been sitting on a shelf for a year will taste flat.
I grow and smoke my own chile peppers, then grind them fresh for blends that I sell at the St. Paul Farmers market. This makes a significant difference. If you’re buying a blend, look for small-batch producers and check dates.
The from-scratch method is still superior for special occasions. But for a casual weeknight dinner, a good blend gets you 80% of the way there with 20% of the effort.
If you have the time however, you can make a chicken mole from scratch recipe from dried, roasted and rehydrated peppers. This recipe for chicken mole with chayote rather than potatoes takes you through the process of making your own homemade mole sauce.
Pre-made mole pastes (like the ones I brought back from Oaxaca shown below) can also be excellent. They save even more time than dry blends. Look for brands with simple ingredient lists: chiles, nuts, spices, chocolate, no preservatives.
This mole rojo from Amazon is close to what I got in Oaxaca.
DIY Mole Blend Recipe
If you want to make your own mole spice blend, this recipe has been tested many times as it is the spice blend I sell at the farmers’ market.
Mix together:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 teaspoons powdered cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon annato
- 2 teaspoons ancho powder
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground anise
- 1 teaspoon serrano
Toast the whole spices before grinding if using whole. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Makes 2 oz.
The quality of your chile powders matters most. Fresh, recently ground ancho and chipotle will taste dramatically better than old powders.
Additional Ways to Use Mole Powdered Spice Blend
Mole spice blends can easily enhance recipes other than chicken mole also. Try adding a tablespoon or two to your next pot of red chili for some smoky, chocolaty notes of flavor.
Alternatively, try it in one of these tested recipes:
FAQ
Mole rojo is part of the seven traditional moles served in the Oaxacan region in Mexico. The other traditional moles include: mole negro, mole amarillo, mole verde, mole coloradito, mole chichilo, and mole manchamantel.
Mole rojo uses fewer chiles and less chocolate, resulting in a redder, slightly lighter sauce. Mole negro uses charred chiles and more chocolate, creating a darker, more intense sauce.
Mildly spicy. The dried chiles used (ancho, pasilla, guajillo) are mild to medium. The heat is subtle, not aggressive. The complexity comes from the blend of flavors, not from heat.
Traditional moles include ground nuts (often peanuts or almonds) for richness and body. Peanut butter is a shortcut that provides the same function.
Dried red chiles, particularly anchos. Achiote (annatto) can intensify the color.
Yes. It freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat gently, adding water or broth if it’s too thick.
Check out this complete guide to stocking your pantry for Mexican cooking, from everyday meals to holiday celebrations.
Chicken Mole Rojo
Equipment
- baking dish 9 x 11
- Blender (Or food processor)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 teaspoon garlic optional
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 8-9 pieces chicken legs or thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to your taste
- 4 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 ounce mole spice mix equals 4 tablespoons
- 2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- Heat oil in large skillet and add chopped onion. Saute about 5 minutes or until translucent (add 2 teaspoons minced garlic for last minute if desired). Add chicken broth and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Let it cool a bit.2 tablespoon olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 teaspoon garlic, 2 cups chicken broth
- While onion mix is cooling, place chicken pieces in 9 x 11 baking dish and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes8-9 pieces chicken legs or thighs, 1 teaspoon salt
- While chicken is baking, pour cooled onion mix into blender or food processor and add peanut butter and mole spice blend. Blend until smooth.4 tablespoon peanut butter, 1 ounce mole spice mix
- When chicken has cooked for 20 minutes, remove from oven and pour mole-peanut butter sauce over chicken in baking dish. Place back in oven and cook for 15-20 more minutes at 400.
- Garnish with sesame seeds over the sauce and serve.2-3 tablespoons sesame seeds
Notes
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 teaspoons powdered cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon annato
- 2 teaspoons ancho powder
- 1/3 cup sesame seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground anise
- 1 teaspoon serrano
- Broil fresh chile peppers until charred and then remove skins and seeds. Alternatively toast dried chile peppers in a skillet, remove seeds and rehydrate in hot water for 10 minutes.
- Toast your spices (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.
- Roast your vegetables (tomatillos, tomato and onion) about 7 minutes or until charred, turning occasionally. Add the garlic for the last minute or so. Remove from heat until cool and then peel them. *note: you can put the tomatillos and tomato in a paper bag and close it up for a bit to make them easier to peel.
- Drain the chile peppers and add the peeled tomatillos, tomato and onion to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the spices and process until combined.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high and add the pepper mixture and salt and bring to a boil.
[…] **Note: for an easier version of this recipe which uses a fresh mole powder rather than roasting and peeling the peppers, click here. For a really easy version of chicken mole without chayote and using a red sauce instead of yellow, click here. […]