Chicken in Green Pipian Mole Sauce

I adore the cuisine of Mexico City, and this presentation of chicken in a green sauce or mole of pumpkin seeds is very typical of the fine food found in central Mexico. You will, I hope, notice the complete absence of cheese - especially the yellow goopy kind. Also the rice is white, not yellow. And there isn’t a refried bean to be found. The chicken is poached, not fried. There is also no lard in this recipe.

In other words, this is a very healthy dish, and not all that difficult to make. The specialty ingredients can be found in many mainstream grocery stores today, and if not, most any community has a Latino population - that means get down to one of their markets.

Here is the recipe:

Chicken in Green Pipian Mole Sauce

Makes 4 servings

• 1 cup pumpkin seeds, divided use
• 1 pound (8) tomatillos, peeled, rinsed well, and cut into quarters
• 2 epazote leaves
• 1 hojasanta (root beer leaf) leaf
• 2 leaves of romaine lettuce
• 8 sprigs cilantro
• 2 serrano chiles, chopped
• 1/4 white onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 2 cups chayote or zucchini, steamed
• 2 cups green beans, steamed
• 4 poached chicken breasts

1. Toast the pumpkins seeds in a sauté pan. Put them into a small bowl and allow them to cool to room temperature.
2. Place tomatillos, epazote, hojasanta, lettuce, cilantro, serrano chiles, white onion, garlic, and cumin in that order into a blender. Blend until you make a thick paste. If all of the contents are not reaching the blades, turn off the blender and use a spatula to push the contents down into the blender.
3. Place 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a deep skillet and heat until it begins to shimmer. Add the contents of the blender and fry it in the oil until approximately 15 minutes stirring consistently. If the mixture becomes too thick, add broth or water to get a sauce consistency. Remove from heat.
4. Reserve 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds for garnish. Place the remaining seeds into the blender and add enough vegetable stock to cover one inch over the seeds. Blend until the seeds become a smooth purée.
5. Making sure the saucepan is not on any heat, add the pumpkin seed sauce to the mixture in the saucepan and stir until mixture is completely combined, then season with salt to taste.
6. Place two large spoonfuls of rice, three chayotes, some green beans, and one piece of poached chicken onto a plate. Completely cover the chicken with the Green Pipian Mole sauce. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and serve.

Chef’s Note: The above recipe makes about 6 cups. Leftover Green Pipian Mole Sauce can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days in the refrigerator or, if frozen properly, up to 6 months. Enjoy it over enchiladas or fried eggs.