These Chicken Mole Enchiladas feature the unique and flavorful Mexican sauce with cheese and chicken rolled in corn tortillas. A great way to use either homemade or store bought mole sauce!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Chicken Mole Enchiladas are a delightful Mexican dish featuring shredded chicken wrapped in tortillas, covered in rich and flavorful mole sauce, and typically baked until bubbly.
Enchiladas are a great Mexican dinner recipe and something that I love to make for friends or a casual dinner party.
If you love enchiladas, also check out our Creamy Chicken Enchiladas or our Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas.
Ingredients
Full quantities and recipe details can be found in the recipe card below.
Let’s talk about the ingredients you need to make these mole enchiladas.
Mole Sauce – see the section below for more information about this sauce. You can use either homemade or store bought.
Corn Tortillas
Chicken – I like to use either leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken for ease. Anything neutral or Mexican in flavor is great.
Monterey Jack Cheese – a great versatile white cheese. Pepperjack is also great!
Cotija Cheese – a crumbly Mexican cheese. You can skip it if desired, or even use feta.
Yellow Onion
Vegetable Oil
Toppings as desired such as:
- Radishes
- Fresh Cilantro
- Avocado
- Lime Wedges
- Salsa
- Guacamole
About Mole Sauce
Mole (pronounced mo-lay) is a traditional Mexican sauce that is known for its complex flavors, combining ingredients like chili peppers, chocolate, spices, and sometimes nuts.
The mole sauce adds a unique and rich flavor profile to the dish. The exact flavor profile will vary with the exact recipe you use, but the end flavor is just something incredibly unique and delicious.
There are a LOT of different ways you can make mole. The most common one you will see, especially in stores, tends to be a darker brown.
For this recipe, you can use any mole recipe that you like or even store bought mole.
Currently I am working on finding and developing a mole sauce that I can share on this site, but we are not there yet! For these enchiladas I used a recipe I found online. I once asked my Mexican born grandmother-in-law for a mole recipe and she said she just uses the store brand because it was pretty good and zero work. So do what works for you!
Mole in the store is found typically in small boxes in the Mexican or Hispanic section. Dona Maria, in a yellow box, is the most common brand I see.
Instruction Overview
First have your sauce ready to go, and your chicken cooked.
Preheat your oven to 350F.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the sliced onions in a little vegetable oil until they are soft with a little firmness but not brown. About 10 minutes.
Mix the cooked chicken with a little sauce.
Briefly warm up the tortillas in a microwave to make them easier to roll.
To assemble the enchiladas, first place a Tablespoon or so of the onion on the corn tortilla about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom.
Then add about 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture, 2 Tablespoons shredded cheese, and a 1/2 Tablespoon of cotija on top of the onions.
Roll up the enchilada and place in the baking dish, seam side down.
Repeat the rolling process for each enchilada.
After all of the enchiladas are rolled, top off with the sauce as desired, remaining onions if desired, and some cheese.
Bake at 350 for approximately 20 minutes until cheese is melted.
Serve the Chicken Mole Enchiladas with your favorite sides such as Hatch Green Chile Mexican Rice, Mexican Bacon Instant Pot Pinto Beans, or a simple side salad for a delicious and satisfying meal.
Kim’s Tips
Adding a little sauce on the inside of the enchilada helps keep them from being dry. In this recipe, we do this by mixing the chicken with a little mole sauce.
The cheese on top like classic enchiladas is not always done for mole. So this is a personal preference if you want to do it or not!
Are your tortillas cracking after rolled? There are two things you can do to help this. First, use fresh tortillas. Also, as you are rolling, you can add sauce every 2 or 3 to get some moisture on them. I also find them easier to roll when they are warmed up!
Modifications and Substitutions
Make this a chicken mole recipe with premade mole sauce by using a store bought sauce!
I love the addition of the onions inside but you can easily skip these if preferred and just use the chicken with cheese.
FAQs
What is chicken mole sauce made of?
Each mole sauce is different! A mole sauce is typically made of a combination of seeds, nuts, dried fruit, chiles, spices, and chocolate.
Is mole the same as enchilada sauce?
No. Mole sauce and enchilada sauce are very different things. We are using mole sauce in place of a more typical enchilada sauce for this recipe.
Is chocolate always in mole sauce?
Not always, but chocolate is common in mole sauce, especially the brown versions.
What should mole taste like?
Mole sauce flavor will vary based on what is used but overall it is an earthy, complex, spiced flavor. It can be spicy or very mild.
Is mole sauce sweet
Not usually. Even with the chocolate and sugars.
More Enchilada Recipes
Enchilada Recipes
Mexican Street Corn Enchiladas
Mexican Street Corn Enchiladas are filled with the popular corn salsa made with jalapeno, cotija, chile powder, and lime with a cheesy filling and topped in a creamy green sauce.
Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Roasted Poblano Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas are stuffed with chicken and cheese then paired with a tangy salsa verde inspired sauce.
Ground Beef Enchiladas
A classic! Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas with cheddar cheese and a classic red sauce. Perfect for an easy dinner.
Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas
These Southwest Ground Turkey Enchiladas are a twist on the classic beef enchiladas. Ground turkey mixed with corn and beans, paired with cheese, and topped with a red sauce.
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas are extra creamy on the inside from a cheese mixture and topped with a green chile sauce.
Shredded Beef Enchiladas
Classic red enchiladas filled with an easy shredded beef barbacoa and cheese. A personal favorite!
Chicken Mole Enchiladas
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Knife
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken (any leftover chicken such as rotisserie) (approx 2 large breasts)
- 1 ½ cups mole sauce homemade or store bought
- 1 medium yellow onion (approximately 8 ounces)
- 1 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
- salt
- 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese or pepperjack
- 1 cup cotija cheese or feta
- 12 corn tortillas
- toppings as desired (cilantro, limes, avocado, radishes, jalapeno, etc)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken with approximately 1/3 cup of the mole sauce. (Use more or less as desired or needed). Set aside.2 cups shredded chicken, 1 ½ cups mole sauce
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil.1 ½ Tablespoons vegetable oil
- Trim and cut the onion into slices.1 medium yellow onion
- When the skillet is hot, add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft but not brown and still have a little crisp texture to them, approximately 10 minutes. When done cooking, remove from heat and set aside.salt
- Line the bottom of your baking dish with a little of the sauce and a splash of water to thin it out a little (just enough to coat the dish) – about 1/3 cup.
- Heat 6 tortillas at a time in a microwave for about 30 seconds. This will make them easier to roll.12 corn tortillas
- Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of the onions onto the tortilla, about a third of the way down a tortilla, across the tortilla in a line.
- Add approximately 2 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture, 2 Tablespoons of the shredded cheese, and 1/2 Tablespoon of cotija on top of the onions.2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese, 1 cup cotija cheese
- Roll the tortilla up and place in the baking dish, seam side down.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas and mixture.
- Pour the rest of the mole sauce over the rolled enchiladas.
- Sprinkle the remaining pepperjack and cotija cheese across the enchiladas as well as the remaining onions.
- Bake until the sauce around the edges of the dish is bubbling and the cheese is melted and turning light brown. Approximately 20-25 minutes.
- Top with your desired toppings and serve immediately.toppings as desired
