- November 29, 2023
- Chicken
Grilled Chicken With Mole Sauce
If you’re looking for a flavor explosion, you need to try this recipe from grilled chicken with mole sauce. Using a halved bone-in chicken, the grill imparts a delightful char while the chicken soaks up the deep, earthy nuances of a quick homemade mole sauce. This dish is a harmonious marriage of barbecue simplicity that is truly memorable.
Why This Recipe Works
Bold Flavors: Grilled chicken with mole sauce is a meal that boasts bold flavors in every single component! First, the chicken is seasoned with a homemade dry rub to start the flavor building process. Then, the smoker infuses char and flavor! The result is a perfectly moist grilled chicken that would be amazing all on its own. But I take it up a notch with a homemade Mexican mole sauce that is to die for!
Homemade Goodness: If you have never made homemade mole sauce, you are in for a treat! This unique sauce has so many deep, bold flavors that somehow go so well together. It might sound odd at first, but the dried chiles, nuts, onion, garlic, prunes and chocolate all blend together into one deliciously earthy, sweet, spicy and bold sauce that you will want to make over and over again! I highly recommend freezing some of this homemade goodness so you can make grilled chicken and mole sauce whenever you want!
What Is Mole Sauce?
Mole is a Mexican sauce that is generally made from dried chiles, nuts, seeds, and chocolate for a rich and complex sauce or marinade. The dried chiles offer just a hint of spice, but mostly lend a smoky flavor to the sauce. It is balanced by dark Mexican chocolate It is mostly served with meat like chicken, turkey, beef or pork!
I think one of my favorite ways to use mole sauce is to serve it with a grilled chicken. But it makes a great enchilada sauce, or you can add a scoop of it to your tacos or burritos!
Supplies Needed
- Skillet
- Smoker
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- Chicken: A whole chicken halved or spatchcocked so that it can cook more quickly and evenly!
- Olive Oil: To add a bit of fat and help the dry rub stick to the skin.
- Dry Rub: The dry rub consists of salt, chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and cayenne! This will infuse the grilled chicken with lots of flavor while it slow smokes!
For the Mole:
- Dried Chiles: The smoky base of mole sauce is dried chiles like ancho chiles and pasilla chiles!
- Nuts & Seeds: You’ll need sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts and pumpkin seeds here. They will add a lot of nutty, toasty flavor and thicken things up!
- Prunes: Dried prunes add just a hint of sweetness and balance out the bold chiles.
- Corn Tortilla: A cooked corn tortilla is added as a gluten-free thickener.
- Onion & Garlic: For aroma and flavor!
- Chicken Stock: Chicken stock or broth work great and add extra flavor. You can also use vegetable broth if desired!
- Almond Butter: For added nutty flavor and creamy texture!
- Mexican Chocolate: A classic ingredient used in all mole recipes. You can also substitute with dark chocolate instead.
- Dry Rub: Reserve about 2 tsp of dry rub to add directly to the mole sauce!
Preparation And Smoking Instructions:
Mole Sauce:
- Toast Peppers: In a large skillet add 1 tbsp of oil and lightly toast the dried peppers for 30 seconds per side, do not let it burn.
- Soak: Remove from the heat and add boiling water over the peppers and let them soak.
- Toast Nuts & Seeds: In a skillet, toast the sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds over medium-low heat in 1 tbsp of the oil.
- Add Dry Rub: Add in 2 tsp of the reserved dry rub and let it toast slightly with the mixture for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the diced prunes, onion, and garlic. Continue to cook until fragrant and the onions are cooked through.
- Blend: In a blender, blend the rehydrated chilis, 1/4-1/2 cup of the hot water, the nut mixture from the skillet, a cooked corn tortilla, almond butter, and chicken stock together and blend on high speeds until mixed and smooth.
- Heat: Return the mole sauce to the skillet over low heat and add in the diced Mexican chocolate and cook on low until it is mixed in. Test taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it slightly with some of the hot water from the pepper mixture or additional chicken stock. If you do not have a smooth sauce (if the blender isn’t high powered enough), strain it to remove lumps so it is silky and smooth.
Dry Rub & Chicken:
- Preheat: Preheat the smoker to 225 F and set for indirect heat. If using a drum smoker, place hangers into position.
- Prep Chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, divide the whole chicken in half for faster cooking (or spatchcock), and lightly coat in olive oil all over.
- Make Dry Rub: In a bowl, combine all the spices and seasonings and mix well to combine. Set aside 2 tsp for the mole sauce and coat the chicken entirely on all sides with the remaining rub.
- Smoke: Place on the smoker at 220 F and smoke until the internal temperature hits 135 F in the breast. Then open the vents fully over indirect heat so the skin can crisp and continue to cook until the chicken reaches 165 F.
- Serve: Remove and let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the mole sauce. Garnish with cotija cheese and cilantro if desired.
Serving Suggestions:
I recommend serving your chicken with mole sauce as is, with just a few side dishes to make the meal extra delicious! You can simply serve this alongside tortillas to make chicken tacos with a cabbage chopped salad on top. Or, serve it with some cauliflower rice, black rice and mango salad, or a fire roasted corn and hatch chile salad!
Frequently Asked Questions:
This grilled chicken mole recipe makes a lot of mole, so if you have leftover mole sauce that you want to freeze for later, let it cool to room temperature. Then place in a freezer safe bag and lay flat in the freezer to freeze! When you are ready to use it, let it thaw in the fridge or on the counter and heat it up in a saucepan before serving.
Mole is good on so many things! Besides grilled chicken, you can try drizzling this sauce onto tacos, burritos, tacos, veggies, potatoes, eggs, and more! Or, use it as an enchilada sauce to make chicken mole enchiladas. Yum!
If you don’t want to smoke a whole chicken, try using chicken thighs instead! Use the dry rub (you will need less of it), and then throw them on the grill and serve with the mole sauce on top.
More Recipes to Try:
- Cheesy Mexican Cauliflower Rice
- Quesabirria Beef Tacos
- Smoked Chicken Enchiladas
- Grilled Chicken Tinga
- Adobo Marinated Flank Steak
Grilled Chicken With Mole Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lb Chicken halved, bone-in
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Dry Rub
- 1 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 2 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne
Mole Sauce
- 2 tbsp Oil divided
- 3 Ancho Chiles
- 3 Pasilla chiles
- 1/4 cup Sesame Seeds
- 1/4 cup Almonds
- 1/4 cup Peanuts
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin Seeds
- 1/2 cup Prunes or raisins
- 1 Corn Tortilla cooked
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 3 Garlic Cloves
- 4 cups Chicken Stocks
- 2 tbsp Almond Butter or peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup Mexican Chocolate sub unsweetened chocolate
- 2 tsp Dry Rub (from above)
Instructions
Grilled Chicken
- Preheat the smoker to 225 F. and set for indirect heat. If using a drum smoker, place hangers into position.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, divide the whole chicken in half for faster cooking (or spatchcock) and lightly coat in olive oil all over.
- In a bowl, combine all the spices and seasonings and mix well to combine. Set aside 2 tsp for the mole sauce and coat the chicken entirely on all sides with the remaining rub.
- Place on the smoker at 225 F. and smoke until the internal temperature hits 135 F. in the breast. Then open the vents fully over indirect heat so the skin and crisp and continue to cook until the chicken reaches 165 F.
- Remove and let the chicken rest 15 minutes before slicing and serving with the mole sauce.
Homemade Mole
- In a large skillet add 1 tbsp. of oil and lightly toast the dried peppers for 30 seconds per side, do not let it burn.
- Remove from the heat and add boiling water over the peppers and let them soak.
- In a skillet, toast the sesame seeds, almonds, peanuts, and pumpkin seeds over medium-low heat in 1 tbsp of the oil.
- Add in the 2 tsp of reserved dry rub and let it toast slightly with the mixture for 1-2 minutes. Then add in the diced prunes, onion, and garlic. Continue to cook until fragrant and the onions are cooked through.
- In a blender, place the rehydrated chilis, 1/4-1/2 cup of the hot water, the nut mixture from the skillet, a cooked corn tortilla, almond butter, and chicken stock together and blend on high speeds until mixed and smooth.
- Return the mole sauce to the skillet over low heat and add in the diced Mexican chocolate and cook on low until it is mixed in. Test taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If the sauce is too thick you can thin it slightly with some of the hot water from the pepper mixture or additional chicken stock. If you do not have a smooth sauce (if the blender isn't high powered enough), strain it to remove lumps so it is silky and smooth.
- Serve the chicken with the mole over top and garnish with cotija cheese and cilantro if desired.