Pollo con Mole Poblano y Arroz Rojo (Chicken in Mole Poblano with Red Rice)
Poached chicken in glossy, dark mole poblano with sesame seeds, served the traditional way with red rice.
Made with Mole poblano and Mexican red rice (arroz rojo). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time55 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.14 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Put the chicken, onion, garlic, salt and water in a large pan. Bring to the boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 25 minutes until cooked through with no pink inside.
25 min - 2
Lift out the chicken and keep warm. Strain the cooking liquid, keeping about 300 ml.
- 3
Warm your ready made mole poblano (see the base recipe) in a wide pan with 150 ml of the cooking liquid, stirring, until it is glossy and simmering gently. Add a little more liquid if it is too thick.
- 4
Slip the chicken into the mole and simmer for 10 minutes, turning to coat, until steaming hot all the way through.
10 min - 5
Meanwhile, warm your ready made arroz rojo (see the base recipe) in a covered pan with 3 tbsp water until steaming hot. Reheat chilled rice only once.
6 min - 6
Serve the chicken and mole over or beside the rice, scatter with sesame seeds and offer lime wedges.
Tips
- Poaching the chicken first gives you a broth for thinning the mole and keeps the meat very tender.
- Never let mole boil hard. It spits and can catch on the bottom of the pan. Stir it often.
- Add more broth bit by bit until the mole coats the back of a spoon.
- Mole is traditionally mild to medium hot and deeply savoury, with a little sweetness.
Storing and freezing
Cool and refrigerate within 1 hour. Keep for up to 3 days, or freeze the chicken in mole for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Does mole poblano contain nuts?
Traditional mole often does, but the base recipe here is nut free. It uses pumpkin and sesame seeds instead. Check any shop-bought mole carefully if you have a nut allergy.
Can I use turkey?
Yes. Turkey in mole is the traditional festive version. Use 1 kg of turkey thigh and simmer for 45 minutes before adding it to the mole.
Does it contain chocolate?
Yes, a small amount of dark chocolate that gives richness and depth, not a sweet chocolate flavour.
More made with mole poblano
Tacos de Hongos con Mole (Mushroom Mole Tacos)
DFEFNFQuesadillas de Champiñones con Mole (Mushroom and Mole Quesadillas)
GFEFNFMuslos de Pollo en Mole con Arroz Rojo (Mole Chicken Thighs with Red Rice)
GFDFEFTostadas de Pollo con Mole (Chicken and Mole Tostadas)
GFDFEFDouble 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.
