MolesHardFree

Chicken in Chichilo Mole (Pollo en Chichilo)

Name: Chicken in Chichilo Mole (Pollo en Chichilo)
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 150 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1.5 kg Chicken pieces; 6 Chichilo chilli; 300 g Wild tomatillo (miltomate); 3 Green tomatillo; 2 Pasilla chilli; 1 White onion; 5 cloves Garlic; 3 leaves Holy leaf; 2 tbsp Toasted sesame seeds; 3 tbsp Vegetable oil; 1 tbsp Salt; 500 ml Water

150 min (60 prep + 90 cook) Hard 6 servings Oaxaca

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 30 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

One of the 7 Oaxacan moles with the distinctive chichilo chilli.

About this recipe

Pollo en chichilo is one of the seven Oaxacan moles, made with the extremely rare chichilo chilli toasted almost to burning point, wild tomatillo and tomato, creating a black mole with a smoky, earthy flavour.

History & Origin

Chichilo negro is the darkest and most mysterious of the seven canonical Oaxacan moles — negro, rojo, coloradito, amarillo, verde, chichilo and manchamanteles. Its defining characteristic is the use of the chichilo chilli, a variety virtually impossible to find outside Oaxaca, which is toasted to a controlled degree of carbonisation that imparts an intensely smoky, slightly bitter flavour reminiscent of black mole but with greater herbaceous complexity. Unlike black mole, chichilo features wild miltomate — the mountain tomatillo — which contributes a more pronounced and complex acidity than commercial tomatillos. The technique of toasting the chillies to the very edge of burning without creating excessive bitterness is the best-kept secret of cooks from the Central Valleys and Sierra Sur of Oaxaca. Historically, chichilo was prepared as a sustaining dish for agricultural labourers working in the cornfields, being more accessible than black mole due to the simplicity of its ingredients. Today it is considered a celebration mole that Oaxacan families prepare for Day of the Dead, weddings and quinceañera parties.

Estimated cost

£13.00

Total cost

£2.17

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

460

Calories

38g

Protein

20g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fibre

680mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Toast the chichilo chillies on a dry comal until deeply dark but not carbonised. This chilli requires more intense toasting than other Oaxacan chillies. Hydrate for 25 minutes in hot water.
💡 The chichilo requires more intense toasting than other chillies to develop its characteristic flavour.
2
Also toast the pasilla chillies until fragrant. Hydrate separately.
3
Char the miltomates, tomatillos, onion and garlic on the comal until they have black spots.
4
Toast the sesame seeds in the dry comal until golden.
5
Blend all the drained chillies with the charred tomatoes, onion, garlic, sesame seeds, holy leaf and spices. Add soaking water as needed.
6
Heat the oil in a pot. Fry the blended and strained mole over high heat for 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
7
Add the chicken pieces and enough broth to cover. Cook over medium heat for 35 minutes until the chicken is very tender.
8
Adjust salt. The sauce should be dark, thick and with a smoky, earthy aroma. Serve with warm tortillas.