Chicken Mole — The Ancho-Cocoa Connection That Started It All

Second practice brisket: much better. The tallow adjustment worked — wrapping earlier with beef tallow-coated butcher paper kept the flat moist while the point stayed rich and juicy. The bark was the darkest I have ever achieved, almost mahogany to black, with a crunch that sounded like stepping on dried leaves. I sliced it in the backyard at noon and the juice pooled on the cutting board and I thought: this is the one. This is the competition brisket.

Roberto came over for the tasting. He ate three slices, slowly, chewing with the deliberation of a man who takes his brisket evaluation seriously. Then he said, "This is better than anything at that restaurant in Scottsdale." He means Pork on a Fork, which is his reference point for BBQ because it was the only BBQ restaurant he went to before I started competing. Coming from Roberto, "better than a restaurant" is a statement of extraordinary magnitude. He is telling me — in Roberto language — that my food is professional grade. That the dream of Rivera's is not a fantasy. That his son can cook for a living.

I didn't say any of this. I just said, "Thanks, Dad." And he nodded. And the brisket sat between us on the cutting board like evidence.

The ribs are also improving. The ancho-cocoa rub is dialed in — I have not changed the recipe in six months, which for me is the equivalent of publishing a finished document. The technique: three hours of pecan smoke naked, two hours wrapped in butcher paper with apple cider vinegar and a thin coat of brown sugar on the meat side, then unwrapped for thirty minutes to set the bark. The bones bend but do not break. The meat pulls clean from the bone with a gentle tug. The sauce — thin, applied with a brush in the last ten minutes — is ancho, tomato, brown sugar, vinegar, and a whisper of coffee.

At the station, the crew has started a betting pool on whether I will place. Travis put twenty dollars on first place, which is either confidence in my skills or financial irresponsibility. Rodriguez bet I would place top five, which is the more reasonable wager. I told them both that the only bet worth making is on the brisket itself — the meat doesn't lie, the smoke doesn't lie, and the only thing that matters is the plate that goes in front of the judges.

Two more practice sessions before the competition. The grill stays hot. The fire stays steady. The dream gets closer.

The ancho-cocoa rub I’ve been running on the ribs for six months didn’t come from nowhere — it came from mole, from the kind of deep, layered, dark-chocolate-and-dried-chile cooking my dad grew up eating. Watching Roberto chew those rib slices slowly, saying "better than a restaurant," reminded me that the flavors I’m chasing on the competition circuit have roots I should honor in the kitchen too. This Chicken Mole is the full expression of that same ancho-and-cocoa language — no smoke ring required, just patience and a heavy hand with the good chiles.

Chicken Mole

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min | Total Time: 1 hr 45 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
• 4 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 2 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
• 2 cups chicken broth, divided, plus more as needed
• 1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 oz dark chocolate (70% cacao or higher), roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 corn tortilla, torn into pieces
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• Fresh cilantro and warm tortillas, to serve

Instructions

1. Toast and rehydrate the chiles. Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Press the dried ancho and pasilla chiles flat against the skillet for 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened — do not let them burn. Transfer to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 20 minutes until fully softened. Drain and set aside.
2. Char the aromatics. In the same dry skillet, char the quartered onion and unpeeled garlic cloves over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on all sides, about 8–10 minutes. Peel the garlic and set both aside.
3. Toast seeds and nuts. Add the sesame seeds to the dry skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the peanuts and torn tortilla pieces and toast another 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Build the mole base. Add the soaked chiles, charred onion and garlic, toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, tortilla pieces, raisins, fire-roasted tomatoes, 1 cup of chicken broth, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and dark chocolate to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, 2–3 minutes. The sauce should be thick and nearly black.
5. Fry the mole. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Pour the blended mole sauce carefully into the hot oil — it will sputter. Fry the sauce, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes until it deepens in color and the fat separates slightly around the edges. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding broth as needed to keep the sauce loose.
6. Sear the chicken. While the mole simmers, pat the chicken pieces dry and season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a separate skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken skin-side down for 5–6 minutes until the skin is golden and releases easily. Flip and sear 3 minutes more. The chicken does not need to be cooked through.
7. Braise and finish. Nestle the seared chicken pieces into the mole sauce in the Dutch oven. The sauce should come at least halfway up the chicken; add more broth if needed. Cover and cook over low heat for 40–45 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through, until the meat is completely tender and pulling away from the bone.
8. Rest and serve. Remove from heat and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste the mole and adjust salt or brown sugar as needed. Spoon into bowls, garnish with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro, and serve with warm tortillas.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 415 | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Carbs: 19g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 540mg