Do you love Mexican food? Well, if so, this is a great dish to try! This chicken mole makes eight servings, so it is great meal prep to have on those busy weeknights, and the best part is, it can help you manage your blood sugar! Celebrate Hispanic heritage with this classic Mexican dish. Mole (pronounced MOH-lay) is a rich, dark reddish-brown sauce made from onions, garlic, chiles, and a bit of Mexican chocolate and is usually served with poultry. In our version, we use unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the chocolate to reduce the added sugar and saturated fat.

Chicken Mole with Tortilla Strips

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 small onion, coarsely chopped

  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced OR 1/2 teaspoon jarred minced garlic

  • 1 4- to 4.5-ounce can diced green chiles, drained

  • 1 to 3 chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, plus 1 tablespoon sauce

  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

  • 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

  • 1 10.5-ounce can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

  • 1 8-ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce

  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded, cut into bite-size pieces

  • 4 8-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

  • 1/2 cup fat-free or low-fat sour cream

  • 2 tablespoons chopped green onions (green part only) (optional)

Directions

  • Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the onion and garlic for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the green chiles, almonds, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, cocoa powder and brown sugar. Stir in the broth and tomato sauce.
  • Using a hand blender or immersion blender, puree the mixture in the pot. (Alternatively, puree the mixture in a food processer or blender and return to the pot.) Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the chicken. Simmer for 8 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, stirring occasionally.
  • Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
  • Put the tortilla strips on a baking sheet. Broil the tortillas strips about 6 inches from the heat for 2 minutes. Stir. Broil for 1 minute. Stir. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the strips start to turn crisp and golden. Remove from the broiler. (Some strips will be partly soft.)
  • Reserve about one-fourth of the tortilla strips for garnish. Put the remaining tortilla strips and 3/4 cup mole in each bowl. Top with the sour cream, green onions and reserved tortilla strips.

    Quick Tip: Chipotle peppers are dried smoked jalapeños, so expect a little heat. You probably won’t use an entire can for any single recipe, but the leftovers freeze nicely. Spread the peppers with sauce in a thin layer on a medium plate covered with cooking parchment or wax paper, then freeze them, uncovered, for about 2 hours, or just until firm. Transfer the peppers to an airtight container or a resealable plastic freezer bag and freeze.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • This recipe is made possible through the American Heart Association. To learn more about the American Heart Association, and see more of their recipes, please visit https://www.heart.org/