Brenda Khan
Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce that typically contains a variety of ingredients, including chili peppers, chocolate, and spices. It is often used as a base for dishes such as chicken mole enchiladas. While mole is generally associated with Mexican cuisine, it can also be adapted to fit a keto diet. Several recipes for keto-friendly mole sauces are available, which typically involve substituting ingredients to reduce the carb count while retaining the authentic flavor. These recipes allow individuals following a keto diet to enjoy the rich and savory taste of mole without compromising their dietary restrictions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Keto-friendly ingredients | Chicken, chili, arrowroot powder, tomato sauce, water, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, cayenne pepper, cacao powder, olive oil, Lily's Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips, Swerve Granular, cauliflower, eggs, ghee, onion, bell peppers, garlic, tomatoes, chili peppers, almond butter, bone broth |
| Carbohydrates | 4g |
| Protein | 2g |
| Fat | 9g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Sodium | 173mg |
| Potassium | 147mg |
| Fiber | 1g |
| Sugar | 1g |
| Vitamin A | 520IU |
| Vitamin C | 25.1mg |
| Calcium | 40mg |
| Iron | 0.8mg |
| Preparation time | 2 hours |
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What You'll Learn
Keto Mexican mole sauce with chicken
This keto-friendly Mexican mole sauce with chicken is an abbreviated version of a traditional family recipe. It's a gluten-free, paleo, and keto-friendly dish that serves as a wonderful, easy-to-make meal for those on a ketogenic diet.
Ingredients:
- Ancho chilis
- Red pepper
- Tomatoes
- Chicken broth
- Chocolate (dark cooking chocolate or Mexican chocolate)
- Keto sweetener (to taste)
- Spices (cumin, cinnamon, cloves, etc.)
- Nuts
- Garlic
- Tomato sauce
- Almond butter
- Adobo sauce
- Salt
Method:
First, toast the ancho chilis in a skillet over medium heat until softened, being careful not to overcook them. Remove the stems, slice them open, and discard the seeds. Transfer the chilis to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 minutes.
Next, roast the red pepper and tomatoes in a broiler or hold them with skewers over an open flame until charred. You can also toast the nuts and spices lightly.
Blend the soaked chilis, roasted vegetables, and any other ingredients you wish to add, except for the chicken broth, as it may overflow your blender. Once blended to a smooth consistency, put the mixture into a saucepan and stir in the chicken broth. Cook for 10-20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly reduced.
Finally, stir in the chocolate, keto sweetener, and a bay leaf. Simmer for another 20 minutes, tasting and adjusting the sweetness and saltiness to your preference.
Serve the keto Mexican mole sauce with chicken immediately, garnished with toasted sesame seeds. It goes well with a side of cauliflower rice and keto tortillas.
This recipe yields approximately 10 servings of sauce, so you'll likely have leftovers. The sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days or frozen for up to three months.
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Keto-friendly ingredients
While traditional mole sauce is famous for being a chocolate sauce, it is not keto-friendly due to its high sugar content. However, you can make a keto-friendly version by substituting regular chocolate with a keto-friendly, sugar-free chocolate. For example, ChocZero is a keto-friendly chocolate brand that does not contain any sugar or alcohol. Alternatively, you can use dark chocolate chips (70% Lily's chocolate chips are recommended).
In addition to sugar-free chocolate, there are several other keto-friendly ingredients that can be used to make a delicious mole sauce. These include:
- Chicken broth
- Spices such as cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and black pepper
- Garlic
- Tomatoes
- Nuts and nut butter, such as almond butter or peanut butter
- Salt
- Tomatillos
- Onions
- Coconut oil
- Raisins
- Bread (high-fiber)
- Tortillas
- Adobo sauce
It is important to note that the nutritional value of mole sauce can vary depending on the ingredients used, so it is always a good idea to check the nutritional information of the specific ingredients you are using. Additionally, while you can buy pre-made mole sauce in supermarkets, most commercial brands are not keto-friendly due to their high carb and processed ingredient content. Therefore, it is best to make your own keto-friendly version at home.
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Preparing the chilli peppers
Chilli peppers are the heart and core of a mole sauce. There are several types of chilli peppers that can be used in a mole, and you can use any combination of chilli peppers you desire, even if it's just one type. The type of chilli pepper you use will determine the flavour of your mole sauce—some peppers are fruitier, while others are hotter. Here are some popular options:
- Chipotles: These are simply smoked, dried jalapenos. They are medium-hot.
- Guajillo chilies: These are dried mirasol peppers. They are mild to moderately hot and very popular in Mexico.
- Ancho chilies: These are dried poblanos and are very commonly used in moles. They are mild in heat and fruity in flavour.
- Pasilla: This is a dried chilaca chilli pepper. It is rich, woodsy and can be mild to hot.
- Thai and finger pepper chillies: These are used in the Philippines, where ancho chillies are not readily available.
Before you start preparing your chilli peppers, you will need to decide whether you want to use fresh or dried chillies. If you are using dried chillies, you will need to soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes until they are softened.
To prepare your chilli peppers, start by removing the stems. If you are using fresh peppers, slice them open and discard the seeds and membrane. If you are using dried peppers, reserve the seeds and cut the peppers into pieces. Toast the seeds in a large, dry skillet over medium heat until they are toasted, stirring constantly to avoid burning them.
Next, toast the peppers. Place the peppers in a dry skillet or pan over medium heat for about three minutes, stirring constantly, until they are warm and aromatic. Be careful not to overcook them, as they will turn bitter. Transfer the peppers to a blender.
If you are using fresh peppers, you can choose to roast them before blending. Place an oven rack in the highest position and turn on your broiler to the highest setting. Slice your peppers in half and place them on a baking tray. Broil until they are charred and blistered, which should take around 5-10 minutes. Alternatively, you can skewer the peppers and roast them over an open flame.
Once your peppers are prepared, you can move on to the next steps of making your mole sauce!
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Making the sauce
Traditional Mexican mole sauce usually contains a large number of ingredients and can take a long time to prepare. However, it is possible to make a keto-friendly version of this sauce with fewer ingredients and a shorter preparation time.
To make a keto-friendly mole sauce, you will need the following ingredients:
- Chilli peppers %(ancho, guajillo, chipotle, arbol, or pasilla)
- Tomatoes
- Chicken broth
- Bread
- Tortillas
- Onion
- Garlic
- Spices (such as cumin, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and cayenne pepper)
- Sweetener (such as Splenda or another keto-friendly option)
- Chocolate (dark cooking chocolate, Mexican chocolate, or cocoa powder)
First, prepare the chilli peppers. If using dried peppers, toast them in a dry skillet or pan over medium heat for about 2-3 minutes until softened. Be careful not to overcook them as they can turn bitter. Remove the stems, slice them open, and discard the seeds. Transfer the softened peppers to a bowl and cover them with boiling water to soak for about 30 minutes.
If using fresh peppers, such as guajillo chillies, remove the stems and seeds, and cut a slit down the middle of each pepper. Place the peppers on a roasting pan and put them under a broiler or use a cooking torch to blister the skin. Be careful not to burn them, as this will only take a minute or two.
Next, prepare the tomatoes. You can either place whole tomatoes and red peppers on a baking tray and broil until charred and blistered (5-10 minutes), or skewer the tomatoes and peppers and cook over an open flame.
In a blender, combine the softened or toasted peppers with two cups of chicken broth. Toast the tortillas in the same dry skillet as before, then add them to the blender. Begin blending, adding the rest of the ingredients except for the remaining chicken broth.
Once all the ingredients are blended into a smooth consistency, pour the mixture into a saucepan. Stir in the remaining chicken broth and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly reduced. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed.
For an extra smooth and velvety sauce, blend the mixture again in batches. Serve the sauce hot, garnished with toasted sesame seeds. It goes well with cauliflower rice and keto tortillas.
This keto-friendly mole sauce can be used as a base for keto chicken mole or keto chicken enchiladas, adding a wonderful depth of flavour to plain meat. It can also be stored in mason jars for later use and freezes well.
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Serving suggestions
The keto-friendly mole sauce can be served with chicken, pork chops, or any meat of your choice. It can also be used to make keto chicken enchiladas, which use cauliflower tortillas to keep the carb count down.
For a more elaborate meal, you can make a chicken mole enchilada casserole, again using cauliflower tortillas. This recipe involves making a mole sauce with olive oil, arrowroot powder, chili powder, tomato sauce, water, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper. This sauce is then used to prepare the enchiladas, which are assembled in a baking dish, topped with cheese, and baked.
If you're looking for a simpler dish, you can serve your mole sauce with a side of cauliflower rice and keto tortillas.
For a truly authentic Mexican experience, you can also try making Keto Paleo Mole Coloradito Sauce, which is a great base for keto chicken mole. This sauce includes ingredients like chicken broth, various peppers, tortillas, tomatoes, coconut oil, onion, garlic, spices, and raisins.
Finally, if you're short on time, you can buy pre-made keto-friendly mole sauce in small glass jars or make a simplified version of the traditional recipe, which can cut down the preparation time from days to just a couple of hours.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can eat mole on keto. There are keto-friendly mole recipes available, and some can be made in a slow cooker or on a stovetop.
Ingredients include olive oil, arrowroot powder, chili powder, tomato sauce, water, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, salt, cayenne pepper, and a keto sweetener. You will also need to use a sugar-free chocolate product.
Keto mole is often served with chicken, but it can also be used as a dressing for other meats. It can be served with cauliflower rice and keto tortillas.
You can buy pre-made mole in small glass jars, but be careful as some store-bought moles may contain sugar, tortilla, bread, and banana, which are not keto-friendly.
