Traditional Mexican Mole is a deliciously rich and velvety chocolate sauce that is both a little sweet and a little savory. The sauce is primarily made up of a variety of dried chilies, seeds, nuts, spices, tomatoes and chocolate, and is many times served over chicken, enchiladas, tamales, tacos, etc. Chicken Mole is also very commonly made for remembering and honoring loved ones who have passed for Dia de Los Muertos.
How to Make Crispy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters in Mole Sauce:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- We’ll start by making the mole sauce. Dry roast the pepita seeds and peanuts in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes while stirring them occasionally. Then add the sesame seeds and toast for an additional minute while stirring constantly, ensuring they do not burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, dry roast the onion, garlic and tomato for about 5-6 minutes on each side, then set aside. Next dry roast the dried chilies for about 4 minutes, moving them constantly and being careful not to burn them. Then set these aside as well. Add all the dry roasted ingredients to a blender, along with the chicken stock, and blend until completely smooth (at least 1 minute).
- Add this blended mixture to a sauce pan over medium-high heat and add the Mexican chocolate. Stir and cook this through until disc is fully dissolved. Once this reaches a boil lower to a simmer, stir in the remaining mole ingredients and allow this to gently simmer for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally, then set aside.
- While this simmers, pat dry your chicken and season it with salt on both sides. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a large oven-safe sautéing pan over medium-high heat, and lay the chicken legs skin side down. Fry for about 10-12 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy, then flip. Pop them into to bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the center of the chicken.
- Plate the chicken quarters with mole sauce poured on top and garnished with sesame seeds!
Crispy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters in Mole Sauce – Tips & Tricks
- If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days! Also note that the longer this sits in the fridge, the more the flavors develop 😉
- You can also freeze leftover mole sauce in the freezer for up to 6 months. Just be careful not to store them in a glass container – it may burst in the freezer!
Other Latin-inspired recipes you’ll love—
Crispy Pumpkin and Potato Taquitos with Homemade Mole Sauce
Chicken Birria (Birria de Pollo)
Mexican Shrimp Ceviche with Clamato
Queso Fundido Stuffed Jalapeño Tacos
Agua de Pepino (Cucumber Agua Fresca)
Creamy Salsa Taquera Anaranjada
If you make these Crispy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters in Mole Sauce, tag me on Instagram! Seeing you whip up my recipes makes me the happiest little bee!
Crispy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters in Mole Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ c sesame seeds
- ¼ c peanuts
- ¼ c pepita seeds
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 whole yellow or white onion, quartered
- 2-3 tomatoes, halved
- 4 dried chiles guajillo, stemmed and deveined
- 3 dried chiles ancho, stemmed and deveined
- 2-5 dried chiles de árbol, stemmed and deveined
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon or 1 small cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 Mexican chocolate disc
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 tbsp neutral high-heat oil
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters (or 4 thighs and 4 drumsticks)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- We’ll start by making the mole sauce. Dry roast the pepita seeds and peanuts in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes while stirring them occasionally. Then add the sesame seeds and toast for an additional minute while stirring constantly, ensuring they do not burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, dry roast the onion, garlic and tomato for about 5-6 minutes on each side, then set aside. Next dry roast the dried chilies for about 4 minutes, moving them constantly and being careful not to burn them. Then set these aside as well. Add all the dry roasted ingredients to a blender, along with the chicken stock, and blend until completely smooth (at least 1 minute).
- Add this blended mixture to a sauce pan over medium-high heat and add the Mexican chocolate. Stir and cook this through until disc is fully dissolved. Once this reaches a boil lower to a simmer, stir in the remaining mole ingredients and allow this to gently simmer for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally, then set aside.
- While this simmers, pat dry your chicken and season it with salt on both sides. Heat the 2 tbsp of oil in a large oven-safe sautéing pan over medium-high heat, and lay the chicken legs skin side down. Fry for about 10-12 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crispy, then flip. Pop them into to bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the center of the chicken.
- Plate the chicken quarters with mole sauce poured on top and garnished with sesame seeds!
Nutrition
Calories: 417kcal
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Similar Recipes
Crispy Pumpkin and Potato Taquitos with Homemade Mole Sauce
Guatemalan Hilachas
Chicken Birria (Birria de Pollo)
Queso Fundido Stuffed Jalapeño Tacos
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mexican, mole, chicken, latin, dia de los muertos, dinner
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