Pipián Rojo de Pollo (Pumpkin Seed Red Mole from Puebla)
Chicken in a rich red sauce of ground pumpkin seeds and dried chillies, thick, nutty tasting and entirely free of nuts.
- Time1 hr 10
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.55 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Season the chicken with half the salt. Brown it in 1 tbsp of the oil in a casserole for 6 minutes. Pour in the stock, cover and simmer for 25 minutes until cooked through. Lift out the chicken and keep the stock.
25 min - 2
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, shaking, until they puff and pop. Add the sesame seeds for the last minute. Tip into a bowl.
4 min - 3
Toast the chillies for 20 seconds each side and soak in hot water for 20 minutes, then drain. In the same pan, char the tomatoes, onion and garlic for 8 minutes.
20 min - 4
Put the seeds, chillies, tomatoes, onion, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and pepper into a blender with 400 ml of the warm stock. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes until completely smooth. Pass through a sieve if you want it silky.
- 5
Heat the remaining oil in the casserole and fry the sauce for 5 minutes, stirring, until it darkens (it will spit). Add the rest of the stock and the remaining salt, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until thick. Do not let it boil hard as it can split.
15 min - 6
Return the chicken, heat through for 5 minutes and serve with rice and warm tortillas.
5 min
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.