Enmoladas de Pollo y Calabaza Asada
🇲🇽 Para el Cinco de Mayo 🇲🇽
Enmoladas are a variation of the more familiar enchiladas, but made with rich mole sauce instead of chile sauce. Unlike enchiladas, which are often baked in the sauce like a casserole, enmoladas are typically filled, rolled, and plated before the mole is poured over them. The name “enmolada” literally means “covered in mole.” This mole negro is a medium-hot blend of chile pasilla, chile negro, chile mulato, chile ancho, and Mexican dark chocolate. The enmoladas are filled with mole-seasoned chopped chicken, smoky grilled summer squash, and cilantro.
It’s a traditional Mexican dish, full of flavor and perfect for celebrating the Mexican army’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. It was a surprising win for Mexico, as the French forces were larger and better equipped.
In the United States, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a celebration of Mexican-American culture, where people honor Mexican heritage with traditional foods, festive drinks, and fun-filled gatherings. ¡Buen provecho y feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Receta de Enmoladas de Pollo y Calabaza Asada
Ingredients
- olive oil
- yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into planks
- salt and pepper
- white onion, small dice and thinly sliced, divided
- dried mexican oregano
- chile flakes
- cooked chicken meat, chopped
- mole negro
- chicken stock
- avocado oil
- corn tortillas
- sesame seeds, toasted
- queso fresco, crumbled
- cilantro, rough chopped and whole sprigs
Method
First grill the squash: Brush squash lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium-high heat until grill marks appear and the squash is tender but not mushy. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat, add diced onion and cook until softened. Add oregano and chile flakes and cook for another minute. Then add chicken to heat through.
Meanwhile, heat mole over medium-low heat in a small sauce pan. Add chicken stock to thin if necessary.
Season chicken mixture with salt and pepper and a ladle of mole to flavor the chicken mixture.
Heat avocado oil in a sauté pan just larger than the tortillas. Briefly fry the corn tortillas, one at a time, in hot avocado oil for about 10 – 15 seconds per side so they are pliable (not crispy). Remove to paper towels.
Place tortillas on a work surface. Place grilled squash down the middle. Spoon chicken mixture on top. Finish with chopped cilantro.
Ladle mole sauce onto plates.
Roll tortillas into a cylinder and plate over the mole with the seam side down.
Ladle warm mole sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas. Garnish with sesame seeds, cheese, onion slices, and cilantro sprigs.
More Mole
Read about moles from Santa Fe Chef Olea and my recipe for Duck and Sweet Potato Enmoladas with New Mexican Mole here.