History
The Cardenas family opened Red Iguana on West North Temple in 1985, building on their 1965 family Mexican restaurant tradition. The kitchen offers at least eight distinct moles, drawn from Mexico's Oaxacan and central states, simultaneously. Red Iguana is Utah's most awarded restaurant and the editorial flagship of Salt Lake's Mexican food culture, a multiyear Best of State Mexican winner.
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Common allergens: Tree nuts, Sesame
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 8 dried mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 6 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 4 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
- 200g sliced almonds
- 150g raisins
- 120g sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 60g Mexican chocolate, chopped
- 1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1.5 liters chicken stock
- Salt to taste
- 1.5 kg chicken thighs, cooked and shredded, to serve
Method
- Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet 30 seconds per side until aromatic. Place in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak 30 minutes.
- Toast almonds, raisins, sesame seeds, coriander seeds and cinnamon in the same skillet until fragrant.
- Fry the plantain slices in oil until golden. Set aside.
- Saute onion and garlic until soft and translucent.
- Drain the chiles, reserving 250ml of soaking liquid. Combine chiles, toasted spices, plantain, onion, garlic and reserved liquid in a blender.
- Blend in batches to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides.
- Pour the paste into a heavy pot. Cook gently 20 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add chicken stock and chopped Mexican chocolate. Simmer 60 to 90 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Season with salt. Serve ladled over shredded chicken thighs with warm tortillas and rice.
Tip from the editors. Mexican chocolate (Ibarra or similar) is canonical; don't substitute baker's chocolate. The mole improves overnight, so make it ahead and reheat gently.
Where to eat red iguana mole
Red Iguana mole in Salt Lake City
Red Iguana ★ 4.7
Red Iguana on West North Temple runs lunch combinations for $13 to $19 at the bar, with the same mole sauces as the dinner menu at a faster mid-day turn.
TryCombination platter at lunch
Red Iguana 2 ★ 4.7
Red Iguana 2 on West South Temple, the larger sibling of the Cardenas family flagship, runs the same award-winning moles in a bigger room with a full bar.
OrderWhichever mole the original flagship is featuring plus a margarita at the bar.
TipUse Red Iguana 2 to skip the original's wait at peak; same family, same kitchen.
More places near Red Iguana and Red Iguana 2
Not on this list, but close by, nearest first. Every one is in our guide with its address, hours and what to order.
- Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana Pizzeria, about 1.6 km away
- Zest Kitchen and Bar Vegetarian, about 1.6 km away
- Apollo Burger Burgers, about 2.3 km away
- Bar X Cocktail bar, about 2.3 km away
- The Beer Bar German, about 2.3 km away
- Fisher Brewing Company Street food, about 2.4 km away
More cities are in research. Want red iguana mole covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.