Mexican · main

Chicken Mole Enchiladas

Chicken Mole Enchiladas reads allium 4.2, smoke 4.1 and richness 4.0 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 1 hr 9 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.8 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 4.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Allium 4.2 · Smoke 4.1 · Richness 4.0 · Salinity 3.8 · Umami 3.8 · Heat 3.8 · Nutty 3.8 · Sweetness 2.9 · Bitterness 2.9 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Earthy 2.4 · Warm Spice 2.1 · Sourness 1.7 · Fruity 1.7 · Floral 1.0

What's in it (16)

• boneless chicken — 907 g
• salt — 7 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• chili powder — 44 g
• unsweetened chocolate — 27 g
• cinnamon — 5 g
• cumin — 3 g
• tomatoes — 794 g
• chunky peanut butter — 27 g
• chipotle chile — 100 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 473 g
• corn tortillas — 1200 g
• shredded monterey jack cheese — 227 g
• cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 9 min (1 hr 8 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 198.3 kcal, 12.3 g protein, 5.6 g fat, 26.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Bring 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil in a large pot. Add the chicken breasts, reduce to a bare simmer, and poach until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest point, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool, then shred into bite-sized pieces with two forks; reserve 1 cup of the poaching liquid.
2. While the chicken poaches, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, chili powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cumin; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the spices darken slightly, about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, peanut butter, chipotle pepper with its adobo sauce, the chicken broth, and the reserved poaching liquid. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, 20-25 minutes.
5. Purée the sauce with an immersion blender (or in batches in a stand blender) until smooth. Season with the remaining salt to taste. Toss 1 cup of the mole with the shredded chicken to moisten it; set the rest of the sauce aside for topping.
6. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spread 1/2 cup of the mole sauce over the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
7. Warm the tortillas until pliable (stack between damp paper towels and microwave 45 seconds, or warm briefly, one at a time, in a dry skillet). Fill each tortilla with a portion of the chicken mixture and a pinch of the cheese, then roll tightly and arrange seam-side down in the baking dish.
8. Pour the remaining mole sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas and scatter the remaining cheese on top.
9. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the sauce is heated through, 20-25 minutes. Scatter with the cilantro and serve hot.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice — Cajun/Creole
• Vegetarian Jambalaya — Cajun/Creole
• One-Pan Turkey Taco Skillet — Tex-Mex
• Beer-Can Grilled Chicken — American · Barbecue
• Mole Poblano — Mexican

Keep reading: what allium, smoke, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.