Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Pollo con Mole Verde
432 kcal a serving, against 573 for the traditional version. That is 141 kcal off, or 25%, with 52.6g of protein. Serves 6. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
A heavy, oily stew where skinless chicken thighs simmer in a deeply savoury green sauce. The base relies on hundreds of grams of toasted pumpkin seeds, fried in pork fat, blended with tomatillos, jalapenos and fresh coriander to create a thick gravy.
What changed, and what each change costs
250g of pumpkin seeds and 50g of lard reduced to 100g of seeds and 15g of vegetable oil
Seeds and lard are incredibly dense sources of fat. Cutting them back strips out an enormous amount of heavy energy, while keeping just enough seeds to retain that distinct nutty flavour.
What it costs you. The sauce loses its thick, velvety grip. It becomes noticeably looser, acting more like a sharp broth than a heavy gravy. You'll miss that rich, oily mouthfeel.
1200g of chicken thigh swapped for 1200g of chicken breast, and tomatillos doubled to 800g
Chicken breast provides pure muscle, keeping the meat ratio high while dropping the fat. Doubling the tomatillos rebuilds the physical volume of the sauce lost by axing the seeds, bringing a sharp, bright acidity.
What it costs you. Chicken breast dries out if you don't watch it carefully. It's the first compromise you'll notice, because breast meat lacks the deep, forgiving succulence of a slowly braised thigh.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 573 | 432 |
| Protein | 50.5g | 52.6g |
| Fat | 26.4g | 13.5g |
| Saturated fat | 7.4g | 2.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 33.4g | 24.5g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 8.8g | 12.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
This is a sharp, vibrant bowl of food, but You end up with a bright green chicken stew. The version that's a rich, traditional mole is still out there and still better. Gone: the heavy decadence of a thick seed gravy. You get a fast, fresh sauce you can easily make on a weeknight. The doubled tomatillos dominate the plate, making the dish far more acidic and refreshing than the earthy original. It delivers a massive punch of flavour and lean meat, leaving you feeling sharp rather than absolutely stuffed.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback