What takes 30 different ingredients, 5 days to make and about 30 minutes for you to enjoy? XILLI’s thick, rich, chocolatey, open-and-go mole!

Chef and XILLI founder Nacxi Gaxiola makes his classic mole poblano based on a centuries-old recipe – it’s a secret, but we do know it takes a very long time to process all of those ingredients! He distills a history of fine-tuned, authentic Mexican flavor into one jar, balancing chile pepper heat with acidic tomato, starchy plantain, sweet raisin, toasty nuts and seeds, deep and bitter chocolate, and a tag-team of spices.

Working with flavor combinations that stretch back to when Mexico was the Aztec Empire, XILLI likes to say they’re evoking “that favorite dish your Mexican abuela used to make, regardless of whether or not you ever had a Mexican abuela!”

tip of the tongue

Think about the tender chicken mole you order at your favorite Mexican-American restaurant, then smile as you realize you can make it at home, super fast, and with hardly any prep or cleanup! Unleash the entire jar of Mole Poblano Sauce into a large saucepan with ½ cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Slide in four to six boneless, skinless chicken thighs and a thinly sliced white onion. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve over rice with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Molé!