Mexican Sunday Mole Supper

1. FINAL MENU

• Name of the meal: Mexican Sunday Mole Supper
• Cuisine type: Mexican
• Serve time: 5:00 PM

This meal is worth sitting down for because a gently roasted spatchcock chicken carries a house mole that layers toasted nuts, seeds and a touch of chocolate into a rounded, deeply savory sauce — familiar and approachable for children yet complex enough to feel celebratory. Accompaniments are simple, whole-food Mexican classics: tomato rice, home-simmered black beans, sautéed calabacitas and warm corn tortillas. Horchata provides a cool, sweet finish that the whole table can share.

• Roast Chicken with Mole Poblano
• Mexican Red Rice
• Black Beans Simmered with Onion
• Calabacitas (sautéed zucchini & corn)
• Warm Corn Tortillas
• Avocado & Tomato Salad (finish-to-order)
• Horchata (kid-friendly drink)
• Baked Cinnamon Plantains (optional)

2. FULLY EXECUTABLE RECIPES

Roast Chicken with Mole Poblano

Equipment

• 1 rimmed baking sheet, 13 x 18 inches
• 1 wire cooling rack that fits the sheet (or a small roasting rack)
• 10–12 inch heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless)
• 2-quart saucepan
• Blender (high-speed or regular) or immersion blender + tall container
• Fine-mesh sieve
• Instant-read thermometer
• Cutting board, chef’s knife, kitchen shears
• Measuring spoons & cups

Ingredients

• Whole chicken, 3½–4 lb, backbone removed (spatchcocked) — 1 bird
• Avocado oil — 5 tablespoons total ⁺
• Kosher salt — 3 tablespoons total ⁺
• Ground black pepper — 1 teaspoon total
• Dried ancho chilies — 3 whole chiles
• Dried pasilla chilies — 2 whole chiles
• Raw almonds (or raw peanuts if almonds unavailable) — 1/4 cup
• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), shelled — 2 tablespoons
• Sesame seeds — 1 tablespoon
• Yellow onion, small, diced — 1/2 medium onion
• Garlic — 3 cloves, peeled
• Canned tomato purée — 1/2 cup (use part of the can listed in shopping)
• Mexican chocolate or 55–70% dark chocolate — 1 ounce (about 2 squares)
• Ground cumin — 1/2 teaspoon
• Ground cinnamon — 1/4 teaspoon
• Granulated sugar — 1 tablespoon ⁺
• Bay leaf — 1 leaf
• Chicken broth or water — 1/2 cup (plus water used elsewhere)
• Lime — none for main (used in salad only)
• Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional) — 1 tablespoon chopped (from bunch)

Practical substitutions:

• If pasilla chiles are unavailable, substitute 2 guajillo or New Mexico chiles (slightly different flavor but still mild). If Mexican chocolate is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa + 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 square dark chocolate to approximate.

Cooking / Baking

• Oven: 425°F
• Roast chicken internal temperature target: 165°F at thickest part of breast and 175°F at thigh.
• Total cook time (main chicken + mole active work): about 1 hour (60 minutes active: 15 minutes prep for chicken + 45 minutes roast). Mole active time listed below within this recipe: ~50 minutes overlapping with roast.

Instructions

1. Preheat & soak chiles (3 minutes prep + 15 minutes soak): Trim stems and shake out seeds from the 3 ancho and 2 pasilla chiles. Tear into pieces. Place chiles in a medium heatproof bowl, pour 2 cups just-boiled water over them, weigh down with a small plate so submerged; cover and let soften 15 minutes while you begin the chicken.
2. Spatchcock the chicken (15 minutes): Using kitchen shears, cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it; flip bird and press firmly on breastbone to flatten. Pat chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels.
3. Season the chicken (3 minutes): Rub the outside and under the skin lightly with 1 tablespoon avocado oil, 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken breast-side up on the wire rack set into the rimmed baking sheet. Let sit while you make the mole; this also brings it closer to room temperature.
4. Toast seeds & nuts (4 minutes): Heat a 10–12" skillet over medium heat; add 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil. Add 1/4 cup raw almonds and 2 tbsp pepitas and 1 tbsp sesame seeds; stir constantly 2–3 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned. Transfer to blender jar.
5. Sauté aromatics (6 minutes): In the same skillet add 1/2 tablespoon avocado oil and the diced 1/2 medium yellow onion and 3 cloves garlic (minced). Sauté over medium heat 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent; add 1/2 cup canned tomato purée, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tablespoon sugar; cook 1–2 minutes. Transfer to blender.
6. Finish mole puree (5 minutes blending + 20 minute simmer): Drain the softened chiles, reserving 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid. Add the drained chiles to the blender with the toasted nuts/seeds and the sautéed onion/tomato mixture, 1 ounce Mexican chocolate and 1/2 cup chile soaking liquid. Blend on high until very smooth, adding more soaking liquid by tablespoon if needed to move the blender. If your blender is not high-speed, do this in two batches. Pass the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart saucepan, pressing solids to extract as much as possible.
7. Simmer mole (20 minutes): Add 1 bay leaf to the sieved sauce, bring mole to a gentle simmer over low heat and cook, uncovered, 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (counted in the shopping salt total) and up to an additional 1/2 teaspoon sugar if it needs balance. Keep warm on very low.
8. Roast the chicken (45 minutes): While the mole simmers, preheat oven to 425°F. When oven is ready, place the baking sheet with rack and chicken on center rack and roast 40–45 minutes, until the thickest part of the thigh reads 175°F and breast reads 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the breast is browning too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes.
9. Rest & finish (10 minutes): Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest 10–15 minutes. Reheat mole gently if necessary over low heat (3–5 minutes) so it is hot at service. Carve chicken and spoon mole over carved portions at the table, or serve mole in a warmed small saucepan for guests to spoon.

Total cook time (chicken + mole as a single component): 1 hour 15 minutes elapsed from start of active mole/chicken prep to chicken resting (overlaps; active hands-on ~50–60 minutes).

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Mexican Red Rice

Equipment

• 2-quart saucepan with lid
• Measuring cups & spoons
• Fine strainer (if rinsing rice)

Ingredients

• Long-grain white rice — 1.5 cups (uncooked)
• Avocado oil — 1 tablespoon ⁺
• Yellow onion — 1/2 medium, finely chopped (from the onions listed)
• Garlic — 2 cloves, minced (from head)
• Canned tomato purée — 1 cup (use remaining from 15 oz can) ⁺
• Chicken broth — 2½ cups
• Kosher salt — 1¼ teaspoons (counted in total shopping salt) ⁺
• Ground black pepper — 1/4 teaspoon

Practical substitutions:

• If you cannot find tomato purée, use 1 cup strained canned crushed tomatoes or blend one fresh tomato until smooth.

Cooking / Baking

• Stovetop on medium-low
• Total cook time: 20–22 minutes active (plus a 5-minute rest off heat)

Instructions

1. Rinse rice in cold water in a fine strainer until runoff is mostly clear. Drain well.
2. In the 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat. Add rice and toast, stirring, 2–3 minutes until grains are slightly opaque and a few begin to take light color.
3. Add 1/2 chopped yellow onion and 2 minced garlic cloves; sauté 1–2 minutes until onion softens.
4. Stir in 1 cup tomato purée, 2½ cups chicken broth, 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Increase heat to bring to a boil.
5. When boiling, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
6. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and transfer to serving bowl; keep covered until serve.

Total cook time: 23–25 minutes (includes short rest).

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Black Beans Simmered with Onion

Equipment

• 2-quart saucepan
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients

• Canned black beans — 2 (15 oz) cans, drained and rinsed
• Avocado oil — 1 tablespoon ⁺
• Yellow onion — 1 medium, diced (use from the two medium onions) ⁺
• Garlic — 2 cloves, minced (from head) ⁺
• Water — 1 cup
• Bay leaf — 1 leaf (use the same bay leaf as in mole? Use a second if desired) — total 1 used earlier; if using one, omit here. For safety, use 1 fresh bay leaf here if you used the bay leaf in the mole. (Adjust shopping if needed.)
• Kosher salt — 1 teaspoon (counted in shopping salt) ⁺
• Black pepper — 1/4 teaspoon

Practical substitutions:

• If you prefer thicker beans, mash one can slightly with the back of a spoon during simmering.

Cooking / Baking

• Simmer on low
• Total cook time: 25 minutes active

Instructions

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil over medium heat. Add 1 medium diced yellow onion and sauté 4 minutes until translucent.
2. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and sauté 30 seconds.
3. Add drained and rinsed black beans, 1 cup water, 1 bay leaf and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and flavored. Remove bay leaf.
4. Taste for seasoning; add up to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Keep warm on lowest heat setting until serving.

Total cook time: 25 minutes.

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Calabacitas (Sautéed Zucchini & Corn)

Equipment

• 10–12 inch skillet
• Knife & cutting board

Ingredients

• Avocado oil — 1 tablespoon ⁺
• Yellow onion — 1/2 medium, diced (from onions list) ⁺
• Garlic — 1 clove, minced (from head) ⁺
• Zucchini — 2 medium, diced
• Corn kernels — 2 ears corn, kernels cut off (about 1½–2 cups) OR 2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• Tomato — 1 medium, diced
• Kosher salt — 1 teaspoon (counted in shopping salt) ⁺
• Fresh cilantro — 1 tablespoon chopped (from bunch) ⁺
• Black pepper — 1/4 teaspoon

Cooking / Baking

• Stovetop, medium-high then medium
• Total cook time: 12–15 minutes active

Instructions

1. Heat skillet over medium-high and add 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Add 1/2 diced medium yellow onion and sauté 2–3 minutes until soft.
2. Add 1 minced garlic clove and sauté 30 seconds.
3. Add diced zucchini and corn kernels; cook 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender but not mushy and corn is warmed through.
4. Stir in diced tomato, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; cook 1 minute.
5. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, and transfer to serving dish.

Total cook time: 12–15 minutes.

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Warm Corn Tortillas

Equipment

• 10–12 inch cast-iron skillet or heavy skillet
• Clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer

Ingredients

• Corn tortillas — 12 (6-inch) count

Cooking / Baking

• Stovetop, medium-high
• Total cook time: 10 minutes (warm 6–8 tortillas in 10 minutes)

Instructions

1. Heat skillet over medium-high until hot but not smoking.
2. Working in batches, place tortillas in skillet 20–30 seconds per side until light brown spots appear and they are pliable. Stack warmed tortillas in a clean towel or tortilla warmer to keep warm.
3. Keep wrapped until serve; re-warm single tortillas quickly 10–15 seconds if needed.

Total cook time: 8–10 minutes.

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Avocado & Tomato Salad (finish-to-order)

Equipment

• Medium mixing bowl
• Knife & cutting board

Ingredients

• Avocados — 2, ripe but firm, peeled and diced
• Tomatoes — 2 medium, diced (from the three listed)
• Red onion — 1 small, thinly sliced
• Olive oil — 1 tablespoon (not a seed oil)
• Lime — 1 lime, juice only
• Kosher salt — 1/2 teaspoon (counted in shopping salt) ⁺
• Black pepper — 1/4 teaspoon
• Fresh cilantro — 1 tablespoon chopped (from bunch) ⁺

Practical substitutions:

• If limes are too tart for kids, use 2 teaspoons mild apple cider vinegar instead.

Cooking / Baking

• No cooking
• Total cook time: 5–8 minutes (finish within minutes of service)

Instructions

1. At service time, combine diced avocados, diced tomatoes and thinly sliced red onion in a bowl.
2. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, squeeze juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon), 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Gently toss to combine.
3. Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro; serve immediately so the avocado does not brown.

Total time: 5–8 minutes. Must be finished within a few minutes of service.

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Horchata (kid-friendly drink)

Not dairy-free: milk.

Equipment

• Blender
• Fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth
• Pitcher
• Measuring cups

Ingredients (makes ~5 cups, 4 servings)

• Long-grain white rice — 1/2 cup (from pantry rice total)
• Cold water — 4 cups (for soaking and dilution) — place under Drinks section in shopping list
• Whole milk — 1 cup (dairy) (for creaminess)
• Granulated sugar — 1/3 cup ⁺
• Cinnamon stick — 1 stick
• Ground cinnamon — small pinch for serving (optional)

Practical substitutions:

• For dairy-free horchata, substitute 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (but note a nut flavor). For a quicker version, use 3 cups cold water + 1 cup milk as written.

Cooking / Baking

• No heat required; can chill while other items cook
• Total active time: 15 minutes plus at least 20–30 minutes chilling (chill in fridge during other cooking steps)

Instructions

1. Rinse 1/2 cup rice briefly and drain.
2. Combine rinsed rice, 1 cup milk, 2 cups cold water and 1 cinnamon stick in blender. Blend on high 1 minute, then let sit in blender jar 10 minutes to soften rice.
3. Blend again 1 minute at high speed until mixture is smoothish. Pour into a pitcher through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing solids to extract liquid. Discard solids.
4. Add remaining 2 cups cold water and 1/3 cup granulated sugar; stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and add up to 1 tablespoon more sugar if a sweeter drink is desired for children.
5. Chill in refrigerator while cooking other dishes if possible (at least 20–30 minutes); serve over ice with an extra pinch of ground cinnamon on top if liked.

Total active time: 15 minutes; passive chill time recommended 20–30 minutes.

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Baked Cinnamon Plantains (optional)

Not dairy-free: butter.

Equipment

• Baking sheet
• Parchment paper (optional)

Ingredients (optional; 4 servings)

• Ripe plantains — 2 large (not black; ripe with yellow skins and black spots)
• Unsalted butter — 1 tablespoon (from dairy)
• Granulated sugar — 2 tablespoons (from pantry) ⁰
• Ground cinnamon — 1/2 teaspoon ⁰

Cooking / Baking

• Oven: 375°F
• Total cook time: 20–25 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Peel plantains and slice on a bias into 1/2-inch slices. Toss lightly with melted butter, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
3. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 18–22 minutes until golden and caramelized at the edges.
4. Serve warm. Marked optional.

Total cook time: 20–25 minutes.

3. LINEAR TIMELINE (3:45 PM–5:00 PM)

• 3:45 PM: Mole — Trim stems and seeds from 3 ancho and 2 pasilla chiles; tear into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl; pour 2 cups boiling water over them and cover to soften (15 minutes).
• 3:50 PM: Chicken — Spatchcock the 3½–4 lb chicken, pat dry, rub with 1 Tbsp avocado oil, 2 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; set on wire rack on rimmed sheet to rest while you cook.
• 3:55 PM: Mole — Heat 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil in a 10–12" skillet over medium; toast 1/4 cup almonds, 2 Tbsp pepitas and 1 Tbsp sesame seeds until fragrant (2–3 minutes); transfer to blender jar.
• 3:58 PM: Mole — In same skillet add 1/2 Tbsp avocado oil and the 1/2 diced yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves; sauté 4–5 minutes until softened; add 1/2 cup tomato purée, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1 Tbsp sugar; sauté 1–2 minutes then transfer to blender with toasted nuts; drain chiles and add 1/2 cup chile soaking liquid plus 1 oz chocolate; blend until smooth, then press through a fine sieve into a 2‑quart saucepan.
• 4:00 PM: Oven preheat — Set oven to 425°F so it reaches temperature while mole begins to simmer.
• 4:02 PM: Mole — Add 1 bay leaf to sieved mole, bring to a gentle simmer over low and cook 18–20 minutes, stirring occasionally to thicken; keep warm on lowest heat setting when finished.
• 4:05 PM: Chicken — Place spatchcocked chicken on rack in oven and roast at 425°F for 40–45 minutes (target internal temps: breast 165°F, thigh 175°F); timer set.
• 4:10 PM: Beans — Drain and rinse two 15-oz cans black beans. In a saucepan heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil; sauté 1 medium diced yellow onion 4 minutes, add 2 minced garlic cloves 30 seconds, add beans, 1 cup water, 1 bay leaf and 1 tsp kosher salt; bring to simmer and cook low 20–25 minutes.
• 4:25 PM: Calabacitas — Heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil in a skillet; sauté 1/2 medium diced onion 2–3 minutes, add 2 diced zucchini and corn kernels (from 2 ears) and cook 6–8 minutes until tender; stir in 1 diced tomato, 1 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro; finish and set aside covered (keeps warm).
• 4:35 PM: Rice — In a 2‑quart saucepan heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil; add 1.5 cups rinsed rice and toast 2 minutes, add 1 cup tomato purée and 2½ cups chicken broth, 1¼ tsp kosher salt and 2 minced garlic cloves; bring to boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer 18 minutes.
• 4:45 PM: Chicken — Check internal temps; when thigh reaches ~175°F and breast 165°F remove chicken from oven and transfer to cutting board; tent loosely and rest 10–15 minutes.
• 4:50 PM: Mole — Rewarm mole gently if needed over low heat 3–6 minutes so sauce is hot at service; keep warm.
• 4:50 PM: Tortillas — Warm corn tortillas in a hot dry skillet, 20–30 seconds per side, stacking them in a clean towel to keep warm; finish by 4:58.
• 4:53 PM: Rice — Remove from heat; let sit covered 5 minutes; fluff with fork and keep covered.
• 4:55 PM: Salad (finish-to-order) — Dice 2 avocados and 2 tomatoes, thinly slice small red onion; toss with 1 Tbsp olive oil, juice of 1 lime, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro; plate immediately.
• 4:58 PM: Final plating — Carve rested chicken and arrange on platter; spoon hot mole over portions or serve mole in warmed small saucepan; transfer rice, beans, calabacitas and warm tortillas to serving dishes.
• 5:00 PM: Serve — Family sits; bring horchata chilled over ice to table and optional baked plantains if chosen.

4. CONSOLIDATED SHOPPING LIST

Produce

• Zucchini — 2 medium
• Corn on the cob — 2 ears
• Avocados — 2
• Tomatoes — 3 medium
• Yellow onions — 2 medium ⁺
• Red onion — 1 small
• Garlic — 1 head (about 9 cloves) ⁺
• Cilantro — 1 bunch ⁺
• Lime — 1

Meat / Seafood

• Whole chicken (spatchcock-ready) — 1 (3½–4 lb)

Dairy

• Whole milk — 1 cup
• Unsalted butter — 2 tablespoons

Dry Goods / Pantry

• Long-grain white rice — 1.5 cups
• Canned black beans — 2 (15 oz) cans
• Chicken broth — 2½ cups
• Canned tomato purée — 1 (15 oz) can ⁺
• Dried ancho chiles — 3 whole chiles
• Dried pasilla chiles — 2 whole chiles
• Raw almonds (or raw peanuts) — 1/4 cup
• Pumpkin seeds (pepitas), shelled — 2 tablespoons
• Sesame seeds — 1 tablespoon
• Mexican chocolate or 55–70% dark chocolate — 1 ounce
• Granulated sugar — 7 tablespoons total ⁺
• Ground cumin — 1 teaspoon
• Ground cinnamon — 1/2 teaspoon
• Bay leaf — 1 leaf
• Corn tortillas — 12 (6-inch)
• Kosher salt — 3 tablespoons total ⁺
• Ground black pepper — 1 teaspoon total
• Avocado oil — 5 tablespoons total ⁺
• Dried Mexican oregano — 1/2 teaspoon

Drinks

• Cold water — 4 cups

Notes on markings: Ingredients used in more than one component are marked with ⁺. Items used only for optional dessert are marked ⁰ (none in this required list; optional dessert uses listed pantry/dairy items already above).

5. NOTES & ASSUMPTIONS

• Optional table-side items: Mild salsa verde or pico de gallo and a small bowl of chopped fresh chiles for adults who want extra heat at the table; keep base meal mild for children.
• Global substitutions: If pasilla chiles are inconsistent at the store, substitute guajillo or New Mexico chiles. If Mexican chocolate is unavailable, blend 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa with 1 square (0.5 oz) dark chocolate and 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar to approximate.
• Child-safety notes: Keep knives and the hot skillet out of children’s reach during service. Allow carved chicken to cool slightly during the 10–15 minute rest before plating for safer handling for kids.
• Timeline risks: The tightest execution window is the overlap between mole blending/simmering and the chicken roasting — both require attention in the 3:55–4:25 and 4:05–4:50 ranges. The mole requires blender work with hot soaked chiles (splash risk) and straining; if blender batches are too full, the schedule can slip.
• Mitigation mindset: Work sequentially—soak chiles first; while they soften, complete chicken prep. Toast nuts in small batches and blend in at most two batches if needed to avoid overfilling the blender. Keep the oven temperature steady; use an instant-read thermometer to avoid over-roasting and to guarantee the 10–15 minute rest window.
• Latest safe start time: You can start as late as 3:45 PM for a 5:00 PM serve.