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Cheater’s Chicken “Mole”
This cheater’s mole might make purists balk, but it’s too good for us to care. You’ll be surprised by how a handful of pantry ingredients can be transformed into a rich, flavorful sauce in an hour. Tahini is the surprise ingredient—it adds depth, nuttiness and a subtle creaminess. Corn tortillas thicken the sauce and are served alongside for dipping and scooping. Don’t forget to reserve 2¾ cups of the liquid after poaching the chicken; you’ll need it as a base for the sauce. We like to serve this sprinkled with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.
4
Servings
1 hour
Ingredients
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3
medium ancho chilies, stemmed and seeded
-
2
medium garlic cloves, peeled
Directions
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01In a large saucepan over medium-high, toast the chilies and garlic, turning, just until the chilies are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes, and the garlic is charred, about 5 minutes; transfer each to a plate as they are done. To the empty pan, add 4 cups water, the coriander, cloves, cinnamon and 2 teaspoons salt. Simmer over medium-high, then reduce to low and add the chicken. Cover and simmer gently until the thickest part of the breasts reaches 160°F, 18 to 24 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Reviews
August 1, 2026
Surprised by the flavor
A recent trip to Oaxaca had me craving mole. I’m a huge fan of the mole verde on Milk Street, maybe better than what I’ve had down there. But I had reservations about this one due to its “cheater” profile and curious ingredients list. But it’s a solid substitute for a mole poblano. If you map the flavor profiles, they hit all of the main points (e. g. , tahini instead of sesame seeds, cocoa powder for the chocolate). It took me a long time to cook the chicken on low, a good ten minutes over time. But other than that, everything went without a hitch. I added client to give it some color with cilantro brown rice and some greens. Leftovers will be great and I’ll admit to scooping up the sauce by itself with a spoon. Not much I’d change here for the effort. Maybe an onion but not sure it’d add much. It’s rich, complex, and full of umami.
August 15, 2025
Cheating was fun - and tasty!
I made the dish with half the recipe for 2 people. My only addition: I added a bit of honey to mellow the otherwise a little bitter taste. If you prepare this smaller amount I recommend not to discard the rest of the cooking liquid - the mole reduces faster and more broth might be needed. We like the tasty Cheater’s Chicken Mole a lot, and I will make it again.
November 29, 2025
Perfect for Thanksgiving turkey dinner on a boat
This made a fantastic holiday meal using a limited boat galley, I made the sauce at home with turkey broth. I fried up turkey cutlets on the stovetop, then simmered them in the sauce thinned with extra turkey broth. Mole and turkey work beautifully together. Served it with homemade black beans, Spanish rice, and heated corn tortillas. Perfect for a Thanksgiving meal while floating on the ocean.
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