Rick Martínez's Mole Amarillo is Perfect for a Winter's Night

January 23, 2023

We consider ourselves devout Rick Martínez fans. Last year when we launched a limited edition 'Sassy Pink' Tortilla Press to celebrate his bestseller, Mi Cocina, it became all too clear that we were not alone — the Rick (and Choco) Fan Club rolls deep. The collab sold out in record time. We can't stop cooking our way through his book — Pollo al Pastor, anyone? — and he was gracious enough to share another winning recipe with our readers.

Like many traditional moles, the recipe below for Mole Amarillo below has a long list of ingredients. Don't be daunted though — the end result is nothing short of magical. We love this recipe on a wintry night, but it's just as delicious with summer squashes for when the weather is warmer. And if you're only familiar with mole negro, the deep brown mole typically made with chocolate and blistered chile chilhuacles, which lend it its dark color, you're in for a great surprise. Mole amarillo is lighter and brighter, with tomatillos, hoja santa, and veggies like green beans, chayote, and potatoes. Rick's recipe calls for chochoyotes, but we also love mole amarillo with tortillas or spooned into Oaxacan-style empanadas that can be cooked on the comal. Read on for the recipe. ¡Provecho!

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By Rick Martínez

This is another one of those dishes that is very hard to replicate because the chiles can be difficult to source outside of Oaxaca. But I have given substitutes because, unlike chiles for mole negro, I believe the chilhuacles amarillos used for mole amarillo can be substituted with the more common chile guajillo without compromising the flavor of the overall dish. This is also another case where I want you to make this dish and then immediately book your trip to Oaxaca to experience this mole on site, the way that it should be made. I also love this dish because of the chochoyotes, which are masa dumplings with a dimple in them that holds onto the mole. Growing up in Texas, my mom made chicken and dumplings when it was cold and dreary out, and it was like getting a hug and kiss from her. This dish could be the Mexican comfort equivalent with chicken, a rich and thick, albeit spicy stew, and soft maíz dumplings cooked in that rich bright, spicy, and slightly sweet mole.

Reprinted with permission from Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico by Rick Martinez copyright © 2022. Photographs copyright © 2022 by Ren Fuller. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

La Familia Masa Harina Bundle

Mole Amarillo con Chochoyotes

Rick Martínez

Rated 3.5 stars by 15 users

Servings

6-8

Ingredients

For the Chochoyotes

1 cup Heirloom Corn Masa Harina
1 tablespoon rendered lard or unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon Morton kosher salt (0.07 oz/2 g)

For the Mole Amarillo

3 large chiles chilhuacles amarillos (0.63 oz/18 g) or chiles guajillos, stemmed and seeded
2 Tbsp rendered lard, olive oil, or vegetable oil
4 whole chicken legs (2.2 lb/1 kg)
½ medium white onion (6.7 oz/190 g), chopped
2 large fresh yellow chiles güeros/caribes (5 oz/141 g), banana, wax, or bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3 medium tomatillos (4.23 oz/120 g), husked, rinsed, and chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely grated
2¼ teaspoons Morton kosher salt (0.56 oz/16 g)
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican
½ tsp cumin seeds
4 allspice berries
1 whole clove
1 hoja santa leaf or ¼ cup each mint and cilantro leaves
1 dried bay leaf
3 cups homemade chicken stock or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
2 baked tostadas de maíz, broken into small pieces
1½ pounds (680 g) summer or winter squash (such as zucchini or butternut), peeled if, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ pound (226 g) green beans, ends trimmed
1 medium chayote (7 oz/198 g) or large Yukon Gold potato, peeled (and seeded if using chayote) and cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions

Make the Masa for Chochoyotes

In a medium bowl, mix the corn masa, lard, salt, and ¾ cup warm water until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the masa to hydrate.

Make the Mole Amarillo

Meanwhile, soak the chiles for the mole: In a large saucepan over high heat, bring the chiles chilhuacles amarillos (or chiles guajillos) and ½ cup water to a boil. Cover the pot, remove from the heat, and let sit until the chiles have softened, for 30 minutes. Transfer the chile mixture to a blender and puree until completely smooth. Set aside.
To shape the chocoyotes, scoop tablespoon-size portions of masa and roll into balls. Gently press your thumb into the middle of the ball to create a large and deep dimple, then transfer to a sheet pan and repeat with the remaining masa. Loosely cover with plastic wrap until ready to cook.
In a large heavy pot over medium-high, heat the lard. Working in batches if necessary, cook the chicken, turning once, until browned on both sides, for 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
To the same pot, add the onion, chiles güeros, tomatillos, garlic, salt, peppercorns, oregano, cumin, allspice, clove, hoja santa, and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, until the vegetables are tender but just before they start to brown, for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the stock, tostadas, and reserved chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, tender, and falling off the bone, for 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a medium bowl and let cool slightly.
Working in batches, carefully add the chile mixture and the liquid to a blender and puree until completely smooth. Transfer the mole to a large bowl.
Rinse and dry the pot, then return the mole to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add the squash, green beans, and chayote and cook until almost cooked through, for 10 to 15 minutes.
Nestle the chicken into the pot and gently add the chochoyotes. Cook until the chochoyotes float to the top and are cooked through, for 5 to 10 minutes.