Wrap Your Mole Amarillo in An Empanada

Name: Empanadas de Mole Amarillo
Yield: 12 empanadas
Ingredients: ¾ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast; ¼ white onion, peeled; 1 clove garlic, peeled; 1 bay leaf; ½ tbsp salt; Water; ¼ tsp whole cumin seeds; 5 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed; 3 cloves garlic, peeled; ½ white onion, roughly chopped; ½ fresh hoja santa leaf, chopped (or ¼ teaspoon anise or fennel seeds); ¾ cup masa harina; 3-4 cups reserved chicken broth, as needed; 1 tbsp vegetable oil; Salt to taste; 2 cups masa harina; 2 cups water

March 10, 2025

These empanadas with yellow mole are like a hug on a plate. The mole amarillo is the star—smoky, earthy, and redolent with notes of guajillo chiles, roasted garlic, and hoja santa. Once you've done the work of making the mole, you'll fold in tender shredded chicken (use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut!), and envelop it in a simple masa dough. Toasted on a comal, the empanadas are crispy on the outside, yielding to comforting filling. It’s the kind of dish that feels special but doesn’t need a special occasion, and gives your dinner guests the feeling of home.

Tortilla Starter Kit

Empanadas de Mole Amarillo

Masienda Team

Servings

12 empanadas

Ingredients

blank

¾ lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
¼ white onion, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 bay leaf
½ tbsp salt
Water

blank

¼ tsp whole cumin seeds
5 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ white onion, roughly chopped
½ fresh hoja santa leaf, chopped (or ¼ teaspoon anise or fennel seeds)
¾ cup masa harina
3-4 cups reserved chicken broth, as needed
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Salt to taste

blank

2 cups masa harina
2 cups water

Directions

blank

Place the chicken breasts, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly before shredding it with two forks. Strain and reserve the chicken broth, discarding the vegetables. Set both chicken and reserved broth aside while you prepare the mole.

blank

Toast the cumin seeds on a dry comal over medium heat for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Set aside.
Add the guajillo chiles and toast for a few seconds on each side until slightly darkened and aromatic. Be careful not to let them burn. Set aside.
Roast the garlic cloves on the same comal until soft and lightly charred.
Transfer the toasted cumin, guajillo chiles, roasted garlic, onion, hoja santa, masa harina, and 1 cup chicken broth to a blender. Blend until smooth.
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat, then pour in the blended sauce. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add more chicken broth as needed to achieve a smooth, pourable consistency.
Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasoning to taste.

blank

In a bowl, mix the masa harina with warm water until a soft dough forms. If the dough is dry, add a bit more water. If it’s too wet and sticks to your hands, add a bit more masa until you achieve a consistency similar to Play Doh.
Divide the dough into small portions (about the size of a racket ball) and flatten into 6-inch rounds using a tortilla press.
Spoon 2 tbsp of mole sauce onto one side of each tortilla, add 2 tbsp of shredded chicken, and top with 1 more tbsp of sauce.
Fold the tortilla over to form a half-moon shape, pressing the edges firmly to seal.
Heat a comal or skillet over medium heat. Cook the empanadas for 2-3 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Enjoy immediately.