Doña María® Mole is a staple found in many Mexican kitchens, and for generations has been the easy way to fix a delicious mole in a matter of minutes.
Doña María® Mole
This post has been compensated by Doña María® Mole. The recipe and all opinions are mines alone.
This was not an exception in my house when I was growing up, and up until today, my mother still prefers to use DOÑA MARÍA® Mole when making mole celebrate my siblings’ birthdays. Of course, she enhances the mole paste by adding some extra ingredients, which is something many home cooks do to add their own touch to this dish.
Over the years, I have received many emails from you regarding how to make a mole using ready-made mole pastes. Some people ask specifically about making mole using the DOÑA MARÍA® paste, so I was very excited when I was asked to write about it in a blog post.
As many of you know, I love Mole Poblano, and cooking it from scratch is one of my passions. Unfortunately, many people (including myself) do not always have the time to prepare such an elaborate dish, and using a pre-made mole paste is your best option for making a mole without all the hassle. I guess this is why my mother has used DOÑA MARÍA® Mole all these years, as raising a family with 8 children leaves little time for cooking complicated dishes.
Doña María Mole is a favorite in many homes for special occasions.
With DOÑA MARÍA® Mole, making mole is easy and accessible. The instructions only call for diluting the paste in a good chicken broth, but as I mentioned above, most people like to add their own ingredients and spices to further enhance the flavors.
Some of the ingredients people add to the mole include peanut butter, toasted tortillas, saltine or animal crackers, toasted bread, chipotle peppers, sugar (my mom adds this), and peanuts. These are just some of the most common additions. Some cooks will roast or fry the ingredients, but I prefer to boil them, as you will see in the recipe below.
Cooking Mole really awakens your senses, and it’s a unique experience to see all the flavors, aromas, and textures come together to create a delicious dish. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we like it in our home and don’t forget to play some music while you’re cooking it! If you follow me on Instagram, you know how much I like to play music in the kitchen to add rhythm to my meals.
How to make Doña María® Mole
JUMP TO FULL RECIPE WITH INGREDIENTS
NOTES:
- If you like your Mole on the sweeter side, you can add one more quarter of the Chocolate tablet to your sauce.
- If you don’t have tortillas, use 1 slice of toasted bread, or 4 saltine crackers.
- DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is not a spicy sauce, but if you like to spice things up, add one chipotle pepper in adobo. Rinse it beforehand to remove the vinegar flavor, then add it to the blender with the cooked tomatoes.
- The lid on the jar of DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is quite easy to take off, but if you’re having trouble you can remove it using a bottle opener.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the chicken pieces in a stockpot with the garlic, onion, celery stick (cut into 2-3 pieces), and parsley (or cilantro). Cover with water.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat, and once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the chicken meat is cooked and tender. Season with salt and set aside. This chicken broth is what we will use to dilute the Mole paste.
- While the chicken is cooking, place the tomato, onion, and garlic in a saucepan. Cover with water and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and cook for 8 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked.
- Once the tomatoes are cooked, drain the water and place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the toasted tortilla in your blender. Process until you have a fine sauce, then set aside.
- Place a large frying pan over low heat and add the jar of DOÑA MARÍA® Mole and a cup of the chicken broth to start diluting the paste.
- Add one more cup of the broth along with the tomato sauce, chocolate, ground cinnamon, and ground anise seed. Stir well until the Mole paste has completely dissolved. Add more broth as needed, since the paste will get thicker as it continues cooking.
Some people like their sauce thicker than others, regulate the amount of chicken broth used in order to achieve the thickness you like. Traditional Mole sauce has the consistency of a thick gravy.
- Add the chicken pieces to the sauce, season with salt, and slowly simmer for about 5 more minutes.
Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!
Check the recipe for the Traditional Mexican Red Rice!
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
📖 Recipe
Doña María® Mole
Ingredients
TO COOK THE CHICKEN
- 1 whole chicken 5 lb., cut into 8 pieces
- 3 garlic cloves
- ¼ white onion
- 1 Celery stick
- 2 Parsley or Cilantro sprigs
- 8 cups of water
- Salt to taste
FOR THE MOLE SAUCE
- 5 oz. tomatoes
- 1 white onion cut into thick slices
- 1 small garlic clove
- 4-5 Cups chicken broth
- 1 toasted corn tortilla*
- 1 jar 8.25 oz. DOÑA MARÍA® Mole
- ½ tablet Mexican Chocolate**
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground anise seed
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds to garnish
Instructions
INSTRUCTIONS TO COOK THE CHICKEN:
- Place the chicken pieces in a stockpot with the garlic, onion, celery stick (cut into 2-3 pieces), and parsley (or cilantro). Cover with water.
- Place the pot over medium-high heat, and once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 35-45 minutes until the chicken meat is cooked and tender. Season with salt and set aside. This chicken broth is what we will use to dilute the Mole paste.
TO PREPARE THE MOLE DOÑA MARÍA® MOLE SAUCE
- While the chicken is cooking, place the tomato, onion, and garlic in a saucepan. Cover with water and turn the heat to medium-high. Once it comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat and cook for 8 minutes or until the tomatoes are cooked.
- Once the tomatoes are cooked, drain the water and place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and the toasted tortilla in your blender. Process until you have a fine sauce, then set aside.
- Place a large frying pan over low heat and add the jar of DOÑA MARÍA® Mole and a cup of the chicken broth to start diluting the paste.
- Add one more cup of the broth along with the tomato sauce, chocolate, ground cinnamon, and ground anise seed. Stir well until the Mole paste has completely dissolved. Add more broth as needed, since the paste will get thicker as it continues cooking.
- Some people like their sauce thicker than others, regulate the amount of chicken broth used in order to achieve the thickness you like. Traditional Mole sauce has the consistency of a thick gravy.
- Add the chicken pieces to the sauce, season with salt, and slowly simmer for about 5 more minutes.
Serve with rice and warm corn tortillas. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- If you like your Mole on the sweeter side, you can add one more quarter of the Chocolate tablet to your sauce.
- If you don’t have tortillas, use 1 slice of toasted bread, or 4 saltine crackers.
- DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is not a spicy sauce, but if you like to spice things up, add one chipotle pepper in adobo. Rinse it beforehand to remove the vinegar flavor, then add it to the blender with the cooked tomatoes.
- The lid on the jar of DOÑA MARÍA® Mole is quite easy to take off, but if you’re having trouble you can remove it using a bottle opener.
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Toni L
Great recipe for a fabulous dinner that felt like we were out at our favorite Mexican Restaurant, but better! I added a Serrano pepper to add heat and 2 toasted tortillas to give it more body. My family truly enjoyed dinner tonight!
Frank
I made chicken mole for dinner last night, following your recipe. I used a Oaxacan mole sauce (which I prefer over Doña Maria). It turned out terrific. This will be my “go to” recipe when I don’t make it from scratch. ¡Gracias!
Mely Martínez
Hello Frank!
Great to know you like it with Mole from Oaxaca.
Sandra Garcia
I love how this mole tastes! The combination of ingredients makes it feel like I cooked for hours, even though it was actually fast and easy. My kids loved it too!
Vanessa Ramirez
I have been using your doctored version of the Dona Maria Mole sauce for years now. Sooooo much easier than me doing it from scratch like my mother in law taught me! It tastes so authentic. Then I put some oil in a pot and fry my rice a little. Then I use some of the chicken broth in my white rice instead of water to make it. Viola! A comforting feels like home recipe for everyone🫶🏼
Rachel
My grandma & tia's cook their tomato,onion,garlic on stove in pan ,til it's brown then put in blender.Your recipe sounds good
Vanessa Ramirez
Yassss! I do this as well. Gives it that extra flavor!
Raquel M Gonzalez
Just made this and is is amazing. I added chipotle peppers and cooked a chili with the tomato & onions before I blended it up cause I love spicy food
Stephi
Thank you for this recipe! Is it possible to make chicken mole ahead of time? Can it be made a day ahead, refrigerated and then warmed up the next day? Does it cause any issue with the flavor?
Mely Martínez
Hello Stephi,
Yes, youy can make it ahead of time.
Rosa
Hola Mely, I have prepared this recipe a couple of times. It has been met with great reviews. Next time I will be featuring it my menu for EL día de Los Muertos. I know it will be a hit! Thanks for sharing, Mely
Mely Martínez
Hello Rosa,
I'm sure it will be a great addition to your Dia de Muertos menu.
Deanne
Hi Mely! Can you recommend a brand of Mexican chocolate? Despite living near Houston, I can't find it in my local grocery stores, so I need to order from Amazon. Thank you!
Mely Martínez
Hello Deanne,
The most popular brands are Ibarra or abuelita. You can also the Brand TAZA and the Mayordomo brand, although this last one is a little bitter.
Maggie
Yes, my mom who was also fro MX, used this mole as a quickie to feed our large family.
Can leftover mole (without poultry) be frozen?
Gracias. Love your recipes.
Mely Martínez
Hello Maggie,
Yes, the sauce can be frozen for up to 3 or 4 weeks.
Caitlin
I'm really excited to try this! I was able to find everything needed except Mexican chocolate. Can I substitute with cocoa powder or another type of chocolate?
Mely Martínez
Hello, Yes, you can use other brand of Mexican chocolate.
Alisa A Higgins
I only use this recipe for my mole. It's a hit every time
Sara
I looked up "mole poblano with Dona Maria mole" and I was not disappointed. DM mole just doesn't quite taste right, but this recipe with simple additions did the trick! My siblings and I grew up in Mexico, and we all gave it a hearty thumbs up - que rico!
Thank you for sharing. I will be making this many times over.
Kate
Can I ask the additions you made? Mine is missing something and I can’t figure it out!
Christine M Paz
Is the sample box of the Dona Maria Mole in your photos available to buy? This would be a great gift.
Mely Martínez
Hello,
It was a gift. Not sure if it is easily available from the brand.
Feliciana Garza
What do you do withe vegetables that you cook with the chicken? Discard or?
Mely Martínez
Hello Feliciana,
Yes, I discard them.
Chrysann
Absolutely wonderful! I added a couple of chipotles and it was perfect. Thank you!
Mary Margaret Thomas
My grandmother was Mexican. About 15 years ago, Mama wanted to have a Mexican Christmas dinner similar to what she had growing up. That was the only time my husband and I had chicken mole. This week, out of the blue, hubby asked if I would make that dish. The recipes I found looked complicated. I saw Dona Maria's mole jar at the grocery store and decided to give it a try. I made it before I found your site. I used my homemade broth that I keep in the freezer and followed the instructions on the jar. I roasted the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic, and made white rice. It was unbelievably delicious. Now that I have found your site will make your recipe.
Rebecca A Townsend
This Mole was amazing. I have tried Mole at restaurants, but it seemed like to big of a task to make at home. This was great for a beginner. Based on suggestions I added Peanut Butter. I also added Raisins because I love the flavor they add. I put this Mole on my enchiladas.
James
Mely, I just wanted to say how much I love your site and your cookbook. I am a fanatic for authentic Mexican food. When i was a lot younger I spent a lot of time traveling by bus through the southern part of Mexico, and one of the best things about living in Texas is that it's easy to find "real" Mexican food (not Tex-Mex). I make a lot of Mexican food at home (there's great carnicerias in Houston, as you can probably imagine) and your recipes are perfect. They really help me create that "authentic" flavors that I love so much. Thanks for all that you do! (PS, I don't do social media so I can't do "likes" on facebook or whatever they call it, but I wanted to let you now how much I love what you do.)
Alisa A Higgins
I only use this recipe, it's just the best authentic mole. Everyone that eats it loves it.
Steve
Could you use this on pork also, I have used your mole Verde for pork and chicken many times and it is great but I was wondering if there are other mole types would also work well with pork shoulder.
Thanks
Mely Martínez
Hello Steve,
Yes, it can work using pork shoulder.
Dominika
Looks amazing! I have bought Dona Maria Mola con cacao alreaady.. should i still follow the same instructions? or skip the chocolate? Thank you
Mely Martínez
Hello Dominika,
Follow the directions as instructed here.
George Ferran
Excellente!
George Ferran
Amazing! Far better than dried chicken tenders in ? at the local best restaurant.
I roasted tomato, celery, and garlic w/1 Chipotle. I did the rest per instruccione, made the sauce, roasted chicken and added pan juice. I rested chicken, then reduced the sauce, adding tad more Dona sauce...salt and pepper to taste.
WOW! Like WOW!!
Gracias Dona!!
Edith
I cheated on the recipe as I realized I didn’t have everything that was needed. But the end result was perfect 👍
To begin with, I was missing tomato and celery, as well as fresh parsley. It suddenly occurred to me that my container of mild salsa had tomatoes, celery, onion, garlic & cilantro in it. I put the chicken on to cook in a bit of olive oil, stirring until done.
In the meantime, I grabbed a bag of corn tostitos I had ( obviously I didn’t have what was suggested) and some organic chicken broth. These went into the blender along with the salsa.
I thinned out the Dona Maria Mole with the sauce as suggested and added a little more broth. Then mixed these together. It definitely needed more chocolate and a bit of sugar, but I like my mole sweet. Turned out perfect! Thanks again for your recipe 😘
Carrie Reed
I loved this recipe! It tasted just like the mole I have had at restaurants! I made a vegan version by using vegetable broth and serving it over baked tofu. Thank you for sharing!
Mely Martínez
Hello Carrie,
Great way to add protein to the Mole.
Ilda
Can we use whole tomatoes from the can. If we don’t have tomatoes at home to use?
Mely Martínez
Hello, Just make sure you drain the liquid from the can and rinse the tomatoes to avoid the canned flavor.
Noah
Just made this and jarred it up to take to work for lunch this week 🙂 It came out great, and I have another jar of leftover sauce going in the freezer to make it even easier next time 🙂
The only difference is I cubed and seared the chicken so I can eat it without a knife. Then used the schmalts from that to make the rice in that pan
Helga
This was delicious and easy to make! I used bone-in thighs because that’s what I had available. My son said it was better than mole from a restaurant.
Mely Martínez
Hello Helga,
Thank you for trying the recipe. Happy cooking!
Maria
Just made this today, it came out fantastic, similar to my mother in laws home made mole. Can you freeze the extra mole sauce?
Mely Martínez
Hello Maria,
Yes, you can. I will keep well for a couple of week in the freezer.
Gale
The crackers or the bread is added as a thickener.
Mely Martínez
Hello, Gale,
Yes, as a thickener agent.
Megan
I just want to ask what Mexican chocolate tablets you recommend. I am not Mexican but my husband is and we love Mike. We weren’t satisfied with the Dona Maria Mole without doctoring it up so I’m looking forward to adding the extra ingredients to see if it tastes better. My mother-in-law calls it “fake mole” since she makes her’s homemade.
Mely Martínez
Hello Megan,
I usually buy or Abuelita or Ibarra brand, if you want to make traditional mole, there is a recipe for it here in the blog.
Michelle Heller
My go to with the only addition of peanut butter and sugar.
Rose
I prepared this recipe exactly as written. It received great reviews! I was surprised by its smooth consistency and taste. My family tends to be sensitive to spicy food. No one had a problem with this mole recipe! Dona María is back on my grocery list! Thank you for sharing your recipes. I have tried other recipes from your website before and they have all turned out delicious. This one is my favorite.
Mely Martínez
Hello Rose,
Thank you for giving this recipe a try! Happy cooking!
Creve E.
This is a easy mole recipe for busy moms who don’t have a lot of time to get dinner on the table. It’s easy, delicious and inexpensive. Thanks for sharing.
Teresa
I love your recipes. When I make mole I add a few tablespoons of chicken flavor”Better than Bouillon “ and a teaspoon ( or more) of sugar to the mole paste and water ( or chicken broth if I boiled chicken). That’s all and it comes out delicious. But I will try your recipe because so far you haven’t posted any bad ones!
BDelgado
¡Muy delicioso! This is the next best thing to making mole from scratch! It was easy a very, very tasty!
Mely Martínez
Hello BDelgado!
Thank you for trying the recipe. I'm so glad you like it!
Crevel Europe
Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes, and your amazing videos. Your post inspires people to try DOÑA MARIA.
Joan
I never know what to do with turkey aftet thanksgiving. I pulled the leftover turkey still in the roasting pan. I used this mole, 2 cups of better than bullion chiken broth, nothing else, my husband and 4 kids loved it. Im mexican, husband is Italian. What a great dinner, easy peasy! I will use this sauce for my enchaladas next!
Mely Martínez
Hello Joan,
Such a great idea to use the leftover turkey to make Mole. YUM! Happy cooking!
Elsa Mayoral
Can I mix mole and adobo sauce together when I make mole?
Mely Martínez
Hello, Elsa,
Yes, you can. The end results will be a little bit more like adobo, but still really good.
Brenda Espriella
Can I use this chicken mole recipe on pork feet? Or would it taste right?
I will be cooking the pork feet basically like the chicken and removing bones.
mmartinez
Hello Brenda,
My guess is that you can use it. Just do not overcook the pork feet, cook until tender but still firm.
Vannessa
Why all the extras like saltine crackers? I’ve seen many recipes but my mom never used it so I’m curious as of why! Thank you in advance, I can’t wait to try this recipe soon!
Maria
Wow that’s a lot of work. I make mine with just chicken broth and if I don’t add chocolate or sugar the mole is very spicy I love it spicy but not the rest of the family and we never have leftovers. Dona maria is the only mole I make at home.
Barry
I love your recipe, but for me, it takes a lot of time... so, I Americanized it. Plus, I like the mole infused within the chicken and no bones. Btw, I do have to cook to high standards, as my wife is a Chilanga (from Mexico City) and her family if from Puebla.... and they love it.
For my version, I fill my slow cooker about 1/2 - 3/4 full with raw, cubed chicken breast. . I open the DOÑA MARÍA® Mole sauce, pour off the oil on top, then dig the contents out into my blender. I blend it with the chicken stock (or sometime water and caldo de pollo), a little corn starch (thickener) and some of the add-on ingredients you mention. I may flash fry it, then I'll pour it into the cooker. (The slow cooker won't burn the mole. I let it sit outside cooking most of the day and it is ready whenever we are. Add a little Mexican rice and it's a great, flavorful, tender and easy meal.
If I have leftovers, I put them in zip-lock bags and freeze them. To serve, I drop them into a pot of boiling water. (The microwave will burn the mole.)
Hope this helps.
mmartinez
Hello Barry,
Thanks a lot for such a wonderful tip of cooking the Mole using the Slow cooker (Crock Pot) I'm sure many people will find this very helpful.
Again thank you, also for the reheating tip. At home, we are not too fond of using the microwave either.
Robin Bittner-Montoya
Having made mole from scratch twice I will never do that again! The last time I was on my feet for over 6 hours making it and 6 more hours cleaning the stove! I am getting too old for that! Thank you for this delicious shortcut! Living in New Mexico, Dona Maria mole is available everywhere. Being a purest, I never even considered the jars of mole in the grocery store! Now with these enhancements I am using this brand you recommend! As others have asked, where can you find that gift box? Are you not answering that question because it is only available to food bloggers or something? Please share!
Mely Martínez
Hello Robin,
I, as well as you, prefer the old fashion way of making Mole, but this is my mom's recipe and it comes out great everything. I think, I already answered that question before. The box was a gift I received. Happy cooking!
Tom
My wife and I really like wild rice and saffron rice. Im going to try this Saturday. Im lickin my lips This sauce might become my all time favorite.
mmartinez
Hi, Tom,
Please come back and let me know how do you like this recipe for Doña Maria Mole paste.
Ed
That delicious looking rice. Many recipes use tomato sauce or paste but that makes the rice look more red. Whats in that rice that gives it an orange look?
mmartinez
Hello Ed,
The rice has tomatoes, garlic, onion, and chicken broth.
David
Your recipe calls for using the entire jar of paste? The jar calls for one spoonful only.
Mely Martínez
Hello David,
According to the jar, one jar is for 8 servings, and the recipe uses one whole chicken to serve 8 people. Enjoy!
Esther
Thanks for the recipe, Mely. My mom used a very similar recipe that I never learned to make. So now I have one!
The glass jars make great juice glasses. They're also the best for starting avocado pits for plants!
mmartinez
Hello Esther,
Yes, those Mole Doña Maria glasses are really useful.
Cris Ayala
I used to wonder how my mom made the mole form the glass, now thanks to you, I can make it for my family. Thank you!
Stephanie
I absolutely love this post. As little girls it was such a treat seeing that glass jar on the counter of my Mom's kitchen. Now I have passed this tradition to my children and isn't this what its all about? Btw - peanut butter and the mexican chocolate was and is an awesome addition to this already wonderful sauce. Thanks for the post 🙂
Lauren Grant
Gracias por compartir esta receta! Se ve muy rico. Me encantaría hacer una version vegana:)
mmartinez
Hola Lauren,
It will be great a Mole with large diced potatoes or eggplant. If you make it let me know. Happy cooking!
Margarita A McGuire
Instead of chicken use jackfruit and instead of chicken broth use veggie broth. 😁💕
Sandy Runiz
Wow, Thank you for sharing this recipe. I always wondered how to prepare the mole paste.
Jonathan
Thanks for sharing, my family loved it! Where did you get that gift box?
mmartinez
Hello Jonathan,
Thank you for trying the recipe.
Pat Haught
What is your recipe for rice as a side dish? I cannot find any that are like the rice in our Mexican restaurants.
mmartinez
Hello Pat,
Here is the recipe for the Mexican Red Rice
Rachel Rosas
My husband grew up on Doña María. I use their paste about every third time I make molé. I am wondering why our stores only sell it in a cardboard coated box similar to a milk carton. I am running low on glasses! What Mexican doesn’t have at least three Doña María glasses?! Also wondering where I might get one of those boxes. It would make a good hosewarming gift.
mmartinez
Hello Rachel,
Great idea about getting that box as a house warming gift.
Yvonne
Wondering do you have to add the ground anise seed?
Mely Martínez
Hello Yvonne,
IF you do not have it or don't want to add it, you do not need it.
Crystal
Hi. Can I use a Can of tomato sauce
Mely Martínez
Hello Crystal,
I would not recommend it, but if you do not have tomatoes just add a few tablespoons.
Maria
She got it as a PR package. At the beginning it said the post was sponsored by Dona Maria they sent to her so she can make the mole using their products. Its popular with YouTubers. More commonly with make up users.