Mole de Pollo for Cinco de Mayo

Mole de Pollo

Mole de Pollo

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with the national dish of Mexico — Mole de Pollo has it all, hot chili peppers, savory spices, plus chocolate and a hint of sweetness, all slowed cooked with chicken to yield one of the most complex and delicious sauces I have ever tasted. What does this dish have to do with Peru? Let me tell you about a dinner in Lima, many years ago.

I was visiting my family in Peru, and I wanted to impress them by cooking something unique that they had never tried before — Mole de Pollo. Since Mexican food is not popular in Lima, it was nearly impossible to find ingredients such as the corn and flour tortillas used to thicken the sauce or the right chili peppers. However, we improvised, and came up with our own version using Peruvian hot peppers. Everyone was intrigued about the chocolate sauce but I was delighted that dinner was a hit, as they all enjoyed tasting and learning about this special dish.

!Feliz Cinco de Mayo!