MolesMedium

Green Mole

Name: Green Mole
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 85 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 4 Radish with leaves; 4 Serrano chilli; 2 Jalapeño chilli; 1 cup Fresh coriander; 0.5 White onion; 3 cups Chicken stock; 2 Cloves; 0.25 tsp Cumin; 3 Garlic clove; 3 leaves Hierba santa; 4 leaves Romaine lettuce; 2 tbsp Lard; 200 g Pumpkin seeds; 0.5 cup Fresh parsley; 3 Allspice berries; 1.5 kilogramos Chicken pieces; 500 g Tomatillo; 1 to taste Salt; 3 ramitas Epazote

85 min (35 prep + 50 cook) Medium 8 servings Oaxaca

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 4 Feb 2026 · Updated: 10 Mar 2026

A vibrant green mole of fresh herbs and pumpkin seeds served over chicken.

About this recipe

Mole verde is a dish of pre-Hispanic origin that combines fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds and green chillies to create a vibrant, aromatic sauce. One of the seven moles of Oaxaca, it is also prepared in Puebla and the State of Mexico. Served over chicken or pork with bean tamales.

History & Origin

Mole verde is probably the oldest mole in Mexico, with roots that reach deep into pre-Hispanic cooking, when Mesoamerican peoples ground pumpkin seeds with wild herbs, tomatillos and green chillies on a volcanic stone metate. It is one of the seven traditional moles of Oaxaca and is also prepared in Puebla, Tlaxcala and the State of Mexico, each region with its own particular herbaceous variants. Its vibrant green colour comes from the combination of coriander, epazote, hierba santa, parsley, radish leaves and lettuce — a veritable blended garden that makes it the freshest and most aromatic of all the moles. In Oaxaca it is traditionally accompanied by bean tamales and chochoyotes, whilst in Puebla it is served over chicken with white rice. A fascinating detail: pumpkin seeds, the base ingredient of this mole, have been found in archaeological excavations in Oaxaca dating back more than 10,000 years, making them one of the oldest foods on the American continent.

Estimated cost

£14.74

Total cost

£1.84

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

480

Calories

30g

Protein

42g

Carbohydrates

22g

Fat

Fibre

820mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Simmer the chicken in water with onion, garlic and salt for 35 minutes. Reserve the stock and chicken pieces.
2
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring constantly, until they puff and turn golden.
💡 The seeds should crackle as they toast — that is how you know they are ready.
3
Boil the tomatillos, serrano and jalapeño chillies for 10 minutes until soft.
4
Blend the toasted pumpkin seeds with the tomatillos, chillies, coriander, parsley, epazote, hierba santa, lettuce leaves, radish leaves, onion and garlic with 1 cup of stock. Blend very thoroughly.
💡 The fresh herbs are what give the vibrant green colour. Do not overcook them or they will lose their colour.
5
Strain the sauce, pressing with a spoon to extract all the liquid and remove any pumpkin seed solids.
6
Toast the spices (cumin, allspice, cloves) in a dry pan for 2 minutes. Blend with a little stock, strain and add to the green sauce.
💡 If making from scratch, blend tomatillos with serrano chillies for the green, and tomatoes with dried chillies for the red.
7
Heat the lard in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in the green sauce and fry, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.
8
Add 2 cups of stock and cook over low heat for 25 minutes. The sauce should thicken and turn a deep, vibrant green.
9
Add the chicken pieces and cook for a further 15 minutes over low heat.
10
Serve the chicken bathed in mole verde. Accompany with white rice, bean tamales and corn tortillas.