MeatMediumFree

Rabbit in Morita Chile Sauce

Name: Rabbit in Morita Chile Sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 Onion; 3 cups Chicken stock or water; 3 cloves Garlic; 1.3 kg Rabbit; 5 Morita chiles; 2 leaves Bay leaves; 2 sprigs Thyme; 4 Tomatoes

70 min (20 prep + 50 cook) Medium 4 servings Centro-Norte

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: Mar 24, 2026 · Updated: May 12, 2026

Rabbit stewed in smoky morita chile sauce with tomatoes and herbs. Mexican countryside stew.

About this recipe

Rabbit pieces stewed in smoky morita chile sauce with tomatoes, garlic and herbs. Traditional Mexican countryside stew with deep, smoky flavour.

History & Origin

Rabbit has been part of the Mexican diet since pre-Hispanic times. For the Aztecs, the rabbit was a sacred animal associated with the moon and fertility, and also an important food source for rural communities. The rabbit figure appears in numerous representations of the Aztec calendar and Mesoamerican mythology. In rural Mexican cooking, wild rabbit was an important source of protein before the arrival of chicken and other European poultry. Communities of the plateau, the Bajío and the semi-arid zones of northern Mexico developed cooking techniques that maximised the flavour of this lean and relatively tough meat. Moreta chile, a variety of chipotle made from smoked serrano chile, gives this preparation that characteristically Mexican flavour of smoke, earth and moderate heat. Unlike canned chipotle in adobo, dried morita chile has a more pronounced aromatic complexity and an intense dark red colour. This stew is especially popular in the states of Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro and Zacatecas, where rabbit farming has been a tradition for centuries. Today rabbit in morita chile sauce appears in traditional Mexican cuisine restaurants as a regional identity dish.

Estimated cost

$10.00

Total cost

$2.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on US supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

360

Calories

38g

Protein

12g

Carbohydrates

14g

Fat

Fiber

610mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Cut 1 whole rabbit (1.2-1.5 kg) into pieces: 2 back legs, 2 front legs, saddle in 2-3 pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Rest 10 minutes.
💡 Ask the butcher to cut it if you are not practised.
2
Soak 4-5 morita chiles in hot water for 15 minutes until rehydrated and softened. Drain.
💡 Morita chiles are small and smoked; different from canned chipotle.
3
Blend the morita chiles with 4 roasted tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, 1/4 onion, 1 cup stock or water and salt to taste.
4
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wide casserole over high heat. Brown the rabbit pieces in batches, 4-5 minutes per side until well browned. Remove and set aside.
💡 Browning is key to the flavour of the stew; do it patiently.
5
In the same casserole, pour in the blended sauce. Fry for 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add 2 cups stock, the herbs (bay leaves, thyme) and the browned rabbit.
6
Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 35-40 minutes until the rabbit is very tender. Adjust salt. Serve with white rice and beans.
💡 Rabbit needs time to soften; do not rush it.