This version of a quick mole (mo-leh) sauce came together fairly quickly. I was undecided on how I wanted to season both chicken and shrimp I had sitting in front of me. I saw I had a little chile ancho sauce leftover, so that led me to this tasty sauce. I tried to add some of the most essential ingredients that make up a mole sauce. Must have dried chiles, peanuts, sesame seeds, more chile and of course chocolate! I was very happy with the results and will do it again soon! We literally stood at the kitchen counter enjoying the shrimp, after pictures, while the chicken cooked the rest of the way. My inspiriation for this sauce, was watching Rick Bayless the day before prepare a beautiful pepian sauce over chicken. I can’t wait to try that recipe! Buen Provecho and happy grilling!
For Quick Spicy Mole Sauce
2 chile ancho
1/4 cup spicy tomato salsa, homemade or store bought
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
*1 1/2 teaspoons dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
1 full teaspoon crushed chile piquin or red pepper flakes
1/3 teaspoon pepper
Pinch of cinnamon
Salt to taste
Tips~ For many homemade salsa recipes type in salsa or hot sauce in the search bar. You can find many, many recipes on site.
Directions For Sauce
1. Remove the stems and seeds from chile ancho and rinse off. Place in a glass bowl, cover with water and cook in the microwave for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from microwave and let steep for a few minutes.
2. Drain all the water from peppers and transfer to the blender. Add all of the remaining ingredients into the blender. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Taste for salt.
Grilled Shrimp in a Spicy Mole Sauce
For Shrimp
16 large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
salt
pepper
Chile de arbol powder or cayenne pepper
1/3 cup mole sauce
oil for grill
toasted sesame seeds
lime
Directions For Shrimp
1. After you clean shrimp, season lightly with salt, pepper and chile de arbol powder. Add in the 1/3 cup mole sauce and stir to coat evenly. Cover and marinate for 30 to 40 minutes.
2. Prepare grill. Brush grates with oil. Cook the shrimp on preheated medium/high grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side. To serve, add a little more mole sauce to serving dish, add the shrimp. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and lime wedges. Serve with tostadas or chips. Yields up to 4 servings as an appetizer.
Grilled Chicken in a Spicy Mole Sauce
For Chicken
2 pounds boneless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
garlic powder
3/4 cup mole sauce (see recipe)
oil for grill
toasted sesame seeds
lime wedges
Directions For Chicken
1. Trim away any extra fat from chicken thighs. If thighs are thick, pound them out slightly so they are more even. Season the chicken lightly with salt, pepper and garlic powder, Place in glass dish or heavy plastic bag. Pour in 3/4 cup of sauce over the chicken to coat evenly. Marinate for 2 to 4 hours.
2. Remove chicken from refrigerator 30 to 40 minutes before cooking. While the chicken comes to room temperature, prepare your outdoor grill for indirect cooking. Heat to medium/high. When ready, Place the chicken on the hot side of the grill and cook for 5 minutes per side.
3. Transfer over to the cool side and continue cooking with lid closed for about 45 to 50 minutes. Baste the chicken with some of the extra sauce when you flip it over. You are looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Check the smaller pieces first and remove from grill as they are done. Cover with foil and let chicken rest until ready to serve. Grnish with more toasted sesame seeds and lime wedges. Yields 6 servings.
Tips~ To prepare the chicken in the oven, preheat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil to medium for a few minutes in an oven safe skillet. When hot, sear the marinated chicken for 3 minutes per side. Cover the skillet and transfer to a preheated 375 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.
The first night we had the chicken over a fresh arugula salad with pickled red onions, tasty!!
And the next day, I sliced up the chicken, added extra sauce and made a quick torta with some toasted bolillo rolls! Yum!
I had to share. My husband Richard is a big help when I want to grill. He loves preppring the grill, but loves playing with fire even more, lol!
I am really enjoying your continuing exploration in fusing the cuisine of other cultures, including this venture combining Thai / Mex. Recently I began using Mexican chilies in Chinese food… replacing Bell peppers with fresh Poblano and Anaheim peppers. I do not toast the them before adding to a stir-fry. Really interesting results. I’d be interested to see what you do when substituting or blending Mexican with Chinese dishes. Thanks again for your blog. Inspiring indeed.
Thank you Gary. I also though of this as a fusion of sorts. My original mole sauce does have all of those ingredients, but really has an Asian flavor profile with the spice from the chiles and the creamy peanut butter. I too use mostly poblanos and Anaheim peppers in my stir fry. Rarely ever use the green bell pepper, but I stil enjoy the red variety. Thank you for taking the time to comment…always leaves me with a good feeling, thanks!!
You are incredibly talented. Sorry I have not commented in so long, but you know my schedule…
Thank you Norma. I have the same admiration for you amiga. Love you!
OMG!!! Sonia…. another amazing dish creation that you have reinvented! I can’t wait to try it! As always… Luv… your friend from El Paso Texas 🙂 Melissa C
Hi Melissa! Thank you my friend. I was really happy with the results of this quick sauce. Was tasty on the shrimp as well as the chicken. Thanks for you feedback.