These authentic enmoladas de pollo are made with corn tortillas coated in rich mole sauce, filled with tender shredded chicken, and topped with queso fresco and sesame seeds. A comforting Mexican classic!
Similar to enchiladas, enmoladas de pollo are prepared by coating tortillas with a flavorful sauce before filling and serving them.
The difference is that enmoladas get their signature taste from mole, a traditional Mexican sauce made with a unique blend of ingredients.
Ingredients
- Mole sauce: To make cooking with mole a little easier and quicker, I used a jar of Doña MarÃa mole and added Abuelita chocolate and cinnamon powder to bring out the flavors.
- Shredded chicken: Use any chicken pieces you prefer, or save time by using rotisserie chicken.
- Tortillas: Use homemade corn tortillas or your favorite brand of store-bought tortillas.
- Queso fresco: If not available, feta cheese makes a good substitute.
- Onion: I used white onion, but yellow or red onions work well too.
- Sesame seeds: For serving.
- Oil: Use your favorite cooking oil.
How To Make Enmoladas de Pollo
Start by cooking the chicken in plenty of water with oregano, onion, garlic, and salt.
Remove from the pot and strain the broth, then allow to chicken to cool down and shred it. Cover with chicken so it won’t dry out and set aside.
Add a small jar of Doña MarÃa mole paste to a medium cooking pan along with 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth, chocolate Abuelita, and cinnamon powder.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook the mole sauce for 5 minutes until there are no lumps left and it has a thick gravy-like texture.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Turn off the heat and keep the sauce warm.
Heat up about 1/2 inch of oil in a frying pan and one by one, fry all tortillas until the edges start to get crips but they are nicely soft in the middle (about 15 seconds on each side).
As tortillas come out of the pan, place them in a paper-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Dip a tortilla in the warm mole sauce until is nicely coated on both sides.
Place the tortilla on a plate and add some shredded chicken near the edge, then add some onion and cheese mixture.
Starting on the side near the stuffing, roll the tortilla. You can also fold it in half if it’s easier for you.
Transfer the enmolada to a serving plate and repeat with 2-3 more tortillas (depending on how many you are serving to each person).
Pour more mole sauce on top and spread it with the back of a spoon. Then top with sliced onions, more cheese, and a good sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
Serve and enjoy your enmoladas de pollo with your favorite drink!
Kitchen Notes & Tips
- Mole sauce gets thicker as it cools. If that happens, simply warm it up with a splash of chicken broth until it reaches a smoother consistency.
- Instead of frying the tortillas, you can warm them on a comal or skillet until they become soft and pliable.
- If your tortillas break while coating them with the mole sauce, they probably need a little more time in the oil. Frying them briefly helps them hold their shape.
- Don’t skip dipping the tortillas into the mole sauce before filling them. Coating the entire tortilla makes them more flavorful and helps the sauce soak into every bite.
How To Serve Enmoladas de Pollo
Enmoladas de pollo are usually served for lunch or dinner. You can enjoy them on their own or pair them with Mexican white rice, Mexican green rice, or a side of refried beans.
Wash it all down with a refreshing horchata or agua de mango. Both drinks are perfect with the rich flavors of the mole sauce.
No enmolada meal would be complete without a sweet ending. Serve it with fresas con crema or a slice of Mexican flan for a delicious dessert.
Store And Reheat
For best results, store the components separately and assemble only the portions you plan to serve. Once assembled, the tortillas can become soggy and don’t store well.
The mole sauce can be refrigerated for up to 6 days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Shredded chicken and chicken broth can be stored in the refrigerator for 3–4 days or frozen for up to 4 months.
To reheat from frozen, transfer the ingredients to the refrigerator the day before serving and let them thaw overnight. Warm the mole sauce and chicken gently on the stovetop before assembling the enmoladas de pollo.
FAQ
What is the difference between an enchilada and an enmolada?
An Enchiladas is covered with a chile-based sauce, while an enmolada is covered with mole sauce. Mole is richer and more complex, giving this dish its distinctive flavor.
How do you make jarred mole taste better?
Enhance jarred mole by simmering it with chicken broth, chocolate, and a pinch of cinnamon. You can also adjust the flavor with spices to suit your taste.
More Mexican Recipes
Enmoladas de Pollo
Ingredients
For enmoladas
- 16 corn tortillas (homemade or store-bought)
- ½ lb Queso fresco (or any fresh farmer's cheese)
- â…” cup white onion (diced)
- ½ small onion (sliced)
- 3 Tbsp sesame seeds (toasted)
- oil for frying
For the mole sauce
- 1 small jar Mole Doña Maria (4.4oz/125g)
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth (from cooking chicken)
- ¼ tablet Abuelita chocolate (or dark chocolate)
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp powdered cinnamon
For the filling
- 1 ½ lb chicken thighs or drumsticks
- ½ Tbsp oregano
- ½ medium onion
- 1 garlic clove (skin on)
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
Cook the chicken
- Place chicken in a pot with plenty of water. Add oregano, onion, garlic, and salt.
- Cook until nicely tender (about 1 hour).
- Remove the pieces from the pot and strain the broth.
- Allow the chicken to cool down and shred it. Cover and set everything aside.
- Place mole paste in a medium cooking pan along with 2 ½ cups of chicken cooking broth, chocolate, and cinnamon powder.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook the mole sauce for 5 minutes until there are no lumps left and it has a thick gravy-like texture.
- Adjust seasonings if needed and turn off the heat.
- In a small bowl mix 1 cup of crumbled cheese and diced onion. Set aside.
- Heat up ½ inch of oil in a frying pan and slightly fry the tortillas on both sides.
- Place fried tortillas on a paper-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
Assemble enmoladas
- Dip a tortilla in the warm mole sauce until is nicely coated on both sides.
- Place the tortilla on a plate and add some shredded chicken then top with a bit of onion and cheese mixture.
- Roll or fold the stuffed tortilla and place it on a serving plate. Repeat the steps until all tortillas are used.
- Pour more mole sauce on top of the enmoladas and spread it with the back of a spoon.
- Top with sliced onions, more cheese, and a good sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Mole sauce gets thicker as it cools down, if that’s the case, just warm it up with a splash of chicken broth to loosen it up.
- Instead of frying the tortillas, you can warm them on a comal or skillet until nicely pliable.
- If tortillas break when you coat them in the sauce is because they need to be fried a little longer.
- Don’t be tempted to assemble the tortillas without dipping them into the sauce first. Coating the whole tortilla yields juicier and plump mole enchiladas because the sauce goes also inside.
This was FANTASTIC! So flavorful and fulfilling. I used a large cup of store-bought mole sauce and got some leftovers, I’m glad because I want to make these enchiladas again.
Do you think I could use this sauce in a chicken enchilada casserole?
Absolutely! :)
Loves this Recipe! I used turkey leftovers to make it and it was a big hit! My sons loved it because they said the enchiladas were spicy but not too much and the sour cream balanced all flavors of enmoladas too well.