Chicken and Veggie Tacos with Mulato Chile Sauce
May 14, 2020, Updated May 13, 2025
Delicious with Authentic Flavors!
Warm and Zesty Grilled Chicken & Vegetables are bathed in a Flavorful Chile Sauce with portobello mushrooms, red onions, fresh corn and cotija cheese.
You can choose Yellow Corn or White Corn Tortillas… even hard taco shells as well
Filling ingredients: Marinated chicken tenderloins, portobello mushrooms, red onions, fresh corn and cotija cheese.
Experiment with ingredients you have on hand or love!
The flavor profile of Mulato chiles is a bit sweet with hints of smoky chocolate, licorice, cherries and coffee.
They add add low-moderate heat to your dish with robust flavor. Ancho Chiles (slightly milder) and Guajillo Chiles (slightly spicier) are good substitutes.
Mulato Chiles:
Mulato Chiles are dried Poblanos. The name Poblanos pays homage to the native region these chiles were first cultivated which is a city in Mexico called Pueblo. I recommend these Mulato Chiles.
The flavor profile of Mulato chiles is a bit sweet with hints of smoky chocolate, licorice, cherries and coffee.
- With a Scoville heat rating (SHU) of 2500 – 3000, this is a delicious way to add low-moderate heat to your dish with robust flavor. Ancho Chiles (slightly milder) and Guajillo Chiles (slightly spicier) are good substitutes.
- These chiles are easy to find in well stocked supermarkets, Mexican markets and online.
- Remove the stem and seeds from the dried chiles. The seeds and inner membrane are the hottest part.
How to Make my Mulato Chile Sauce:
Pan-toast then soak chiles; then drain and reserve the liquid. In a cast iron skillet cook onion, garlic, sesame seeds, cumin, oregano, plum tomatoes and their juice and puree in the carafe of a blender with the reserved chile soaking water. Comes together quite quickly! A sauce that can be added to any Mexican-style meals… as well as a a vibrant sauce for other favorites – think drizzling it on fried eggs for roast potatoes.
Let’s make it Taco Night!
Making tacos at home… you can control your ingredients to your liking and serve them fresh and warm.
Choose either blue corn or yellow corn tortillas.
Yes – as good as the ones you enjoy at your local taqueria!
I hope you enjoy tis recipe, with all its wonderful flavors,
Karen
Chicken and Veggie Tacos with Mulato Chile Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins, tendons removed
- 1/2 cup Mulato Chile Sauce, will use up to 1/2 cup
- 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
- 2 medium portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, ends trimmed
- 1 medium red onion, peeled
- 1 large ear fresh corn, stripped and cleaned of silk
- 1/2 cup cotija cheese
- 2 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, cleaned dried; coarsely chopped
- 6 – 8 medium sized corn tortillas, I used blue corn tortillas. Recipe makes 6 extra- stuffed tacos or 8 smaller ones
Instructions
- Make Mulato Chile Sauce (see recipe – can be made days prior… it's delicious.) In a medium sized bowl, add chicken, 2 tablespoons of Mulato Chile Sauce and lime juice, mix to coat – cover and refrigerate to marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.
- Add the below to a large plate: Cut mushrooms into 3/4″ slices. Cut peeled red onion into 1/2 slices rounds. One ear fresh corn. Drizzle all with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, 2 pinches each sea salt and freshly cracked pepper and seasoning of you choice.. (Could be 1/2 t. smoked paprika, or salt free chile seasoning.)
Time to Grill:
- Heat grill to medium- high and oil the grates. Grill chicken, turning until nice grill marks form, turn over and grill until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes each side.Grill cut mushrooms & onion and whole corn, turning until grill marks form, turn over until cooked through, buts still juicy. The corn should be slightly charred all over, bright yellow and just cooked. Remove to the plate.
- Sprinkle a little sea salt on the chicken and veggies. Steam the tortillas – see below.
To Fill & Eat:
- Lay out the steamed tortillas. Slice or shred the chicken into large bite-sized pieces. Top on one side of each tortilla. Cut mushrooms and onions into bite-sized pieces. Cut corn kernels from the cob. Add veggies over the chicken. Drizzle with a little Mulato Chile Sauce on each! Dot each taco with crumbled Cotija Cheese. Garnish all with the chopped cilantro or parsley… Fold & Enjoy!! Serve with extra Mulato Chile Sauce on the side.
Other Filling Ideas:
- Choose any meat or vegan protein to grill and add to your tortillas. Be creative and think Swordfish, Shrimp, Tofu or Tempeh. Choose vegetables the are fresh or your favorites!
Other Add-ons:
- I love drizzling with extra Mulato Chile Sauce! Guacamole, Lime Wedges, Sliced Cabbage, Radishes, Sour Cream to Greek Yogurt, Sliced Jalapeños, and or Chopped Colorful Heirloom Tomatoes.
Hint – Heating Tortillas:
- Warming tortillas prevents them from cracking and breaking. Steaming: Wrap tortillas in a clean kitchen towel; put them in a vegetable steamer over boiling water – steam them for one minute. Turn off heat and let them stand, covered, for 5 – 10 minutes. In The Microwave: Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp, clean kitchen towel (or paper towel); microwave on moderate power for 20 to 30 seconds.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Karen’s Mulato Chili Sauce
Equipment
- 1 13"cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 5 medium Mulato Chiles , about 2 ounces
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or peanut oil (expeller pressed)
- 3/4 cup onion, peeled and diced (about 1/2 large onion)
- 6 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, or 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 cup peeled tomatoes, (from about 6 large San Marzano canned tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup tomato juice, (from canned tomato can)
- 1/2 tea sea salt
- 1 1/4 cup chile soaking liquid
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or peanut oil; expeller pressed (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a 12″ skillet, preferably cast iron until hot over medium heat. Add Mulato Chiles and toast 2 minutes on each side, but do not blacken!
- Cool slightly, remove core and seeds; add the chiles to 1 1/2 cups of boiling water and set aside for 20 minutes. (Wear gloves if you are sensitive to chile heat level.) Drain chiles, keeping the soaking water! Set aside.
- In the skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil; set to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring until just golden. Add sesame seeds, cumin seeds and oregano; stir and cook 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they start to just color. Add 1/2 cup tomato juice, and drained soaked chiles and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved chile-soaking water; bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Reduce the heat and cook at a simmer 5 minutes.
- Add to the carafe of a blender and puree until smooth. Add extra 1/4 cup soaking water if too thick.
- Use as is, or enrich: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When very hot, add the pureed sauce (will splatter a bit) and cook, stirring consistently until warmed through and only slightly thickened.
- The Chile Sauce keeps well in a tightly sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.
- Delicious with my Chicken and Veggie Tacos – see recipe!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
