StewsMediumFree

Pollo de San Marcos (San Marcos Fair Chicken in Dried Chile Sauce)

Name: Pollo de San Marcos (San Marcos Fair Chicken in Dried Chile Sauce)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 90 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 kg Chicken pieces (legs and thighs); 2 Dried ancho chilli; 2 Dried guajillo chilli; 4 cloves Garlic; 0.5 White onion; 2 Tomato; 2 Cloves; 0.5 tsp Ground cinnamon; 0.5 tsp Ground black pepper; 20 g Grated piloncillo; 2 tbsp Vegetable oil; 1.5 tsp Salt; 200 g Rice; 12 Corn tortillas; 3 Dried mulato chilli

90 min (30 prep + 60 cook) Medium 4 servings Aguascalientes

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Chicken in rich dried chile sauce from the San Marcos Fair in Aguascalientes.

About this recipe

Pollo de San Marcos is a chicken stew in a sauce of dried mulato, ancho and guajillo chillies with spices, typical of the food stalls at the San Marcos Fair in Aguascalientes.

History & Origin

Pollo de San Marcos is one of the most representative dishes of the Feria Nacional de San Marcos in Aguascalientes, Mexico's most important popular festival celebrated since 1828. This chicken stew in a dark dried chile sauce is prepared by the fonderas and traditional cooks who set up their stalls in the Jardín de San Marcos during the three weeks of the fair. The recipe combines the complexity of mulato, ancho and guajillo chillies with the flavour of local spices: cloves, allspice and Aguascalientes cinnamon. The chicken is cooked directly in the sauce, allowing the meat to absorb all the flavours of the adobo. Unlike mole, the sauce of Pollo de San Marcos is lighter and less dense, with a perfect balance between the mild heat of the chillies and the sweetness of piloncillo. The dish is served with red rice, pot beans and freshly made corn tortillas. Families in Aguascalientes prepare Pollo de San Marcos at home during the fair as part of their gastronomic traditions, bringing it to gatherings and picnics in the Jardín de San Marcos.

Estimated cost

£7.50

Total cost

£1.88

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

380

Calories

34g

Protein

14g

Carbohydrates

18g

Fat

Fibre

620mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Toast the mulato, ancho and guajillo chillies on a dry griddle for 30 seconds per side. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes.
💡 Soak them in hot but not boiling water to avoid bitterness.
2
Char the tomato, onion and garlic on a griddle until lightly scorched. Blend with the drained chillies, cloves, cinnamon, pepper and piloncillo. Add 1 cup of soaking water and blend to a smooth sauce.
3
Season the chicken with salt. In a wide pot or casserole, heat the oil and brown the chicken on all sides over high heat.
4
Pour the chile sauce over the browned chicken. Add 1 cup of water. Bring to the boil.
5
Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender and the sauce has thickened.
💡 If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water; if too thin, cook uncovered for the last 10 minutes.
6
Adjust salt. Serve with red rice, beans and warm corn tortillas.