Pollo Con Mole Verde

Pollo con mole verde is the quieter, greener cousin of the famous chocolate-brown mole poblano, and honestly, it deserves just as much attention. The sauce gets its color from tomatillos simmered soft, toasted pepitas ground fine, plus a raft of greens: mustard greens, romaine, scallions, and cilantro all whirled together until silky.

The technique matters here. Toasting the pumpkin seeds with peppercorns and cumin wakes them up and gives the sauce its nutty backbone. Watch the skillet closely, pepitas go from golden to scorched in seconds.

Poaching the whole chicken low and slow keeps the meat tender enough to pull apart with a fork, and the resulting stock thins the sauce to exactly the right consistency. Schmaltz adds a glossy richness you can’t fake with oil.

Serve it with warm corn tortillas and a scoop of rice to catch every drop of that green sauce.

Chef Tips

• Remove the papery husks from tomatillos and rinse off the sticky residue before simmering.
• Char the jalapeños directly over a gas flame for deeper smoky flavor before peeling.
• If the sauce tastes flat, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime brings everything into focus.
• Make the sauce a day ahead; the flavors deepen overnight.

Variations

• Swap chicken for turkey thighs for a richer, gamier take.
• Add a handful of spinach or hoja santa for an even greener, more herbal profile.
• Stir in toasted sesame seeds alongside the pepitas for extra texture.