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Mole Poblano Lasagne

Name: Mole Poblano Lasagne
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 65 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 12 láminas Lasagne sheets; 2 cdas Vegetable oil; 1 White onion; 300 g Oaxacan cheese; 3 cloves Garlic; 500 g Chicken; 2 cdas Sesame seeds; 400 g Mole paste; Salt; 200 ml Cooking cream

65 min (25 prep + 40 cook) Medium 6 servings Fusión Italia-MX

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 30 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

About this recipe

Lasagne layered with rich mole poblano sauce, shredded chicken and Oaxacan cheese. An Italian-Mexican fusion that brings together the best of two great culinary traditions.

History & Origin

The culinary fusion between Italy and Mexico has more history than you might expect. When Italian immigrants arrived in Mexico between the late 19th and early 20th centuries, settling mainly in states like Puebla, Veracruz and Mexico City, they brought their culinary traditions with them: pasta, risotto, pizza. But Mexican cuisine, so rich and complex, absorbed those influences and transformed them. Mole poblano lasagne is perhaps the most eloquent example of this culinary dialogue. Mole poblano, the pride of Puebla's gastronomy and recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is a sauce that can contain more than thirty ingredients: dried chillies, spices, chocolate, seeds, toasted bread. Its traditional preparation is a ritual lasting entire days. In this recipe, the mole acts as if it were the béchamel or bolognese sauce of an Italian lasagne: layer upon layer of deep, dark, slightly sweet flavour. The shredded chicken adds protein and texture, whilst the Oaxacan cheese — that stringy quesillo so similar to Italian mozzarella — melts between the layers with extraordinary creaminess. The result is a dish that belongs neither to Italy nor Mexico, but to that liminal space where cultures meet and create something entirely new. It is a dish that surprises, that tells stories, and that proves fusion, when done with respect for both traditions, can be glorious.

Estimated cost

£10.50

Total cost

£1.75

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

420

Calories

28g

Protein

42g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

680mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Cook the lasagne sheets in boiling salted water according to packet instructions. Drain and lay them flat on a clean tea towel to prevent sticking.
💡 Add a few drops of vegetable oil to the cooking water to prevent the pasta from sticking together.
2
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the finely chopped white onion for 5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
3
Add the mole paste to the pan and heat through, stirring constantly. If the mole is too thick, add a little water or chicken stock until you achieve a consistency similar to bolognese sauce.
💡 The mole should be fluid but not watery — it should coat the back of a spoon.
4
Stir the shredded chicken into the mole and mix well. Season with salt to taste. Remove from the heat.
5
Spread a thin layer of mole on the base of an ovenproof dish. Layer lasagne sheets on top, then mole with chicken, then shredded Oaxacan cheese and a few spoonfuls of soured cream. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used up.
💡 Always finish with a layer of Oaxacan cheese on top so it gratinates beautifully.
6
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbling.
7
Remove the lasagne from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes it easier to slice.
8
Serve in portions and scatter toasted sesame seeds on top. If you like, add a few fresh coriander leaves for colour.
💡 For a more elaborate presentation, drizzle a little soured cream in a spiral over each portion before serving.