Chicken Mole

By Becky Hardin

Updated Sep 14, 2025

Chicken Mole is a flavor-packed Mexican dish featuring a rich sauce that is spicy, savory, and sweet—a truly unique combination of flavors from a range of ingredients, including peppers, cinnamon and cloves, tomatoes, garlic, sesame seeds, raisins, dark chocolate, and more. I let the chicken simmer in the sauce and serve it for a delicious dinner!

Overhead view of a serving of chicken mole on a white plate with rice, tortillas, and lime wedges. - 5

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Easy Chicken Mole Recipe

In this delicious recipe, I simmer chicken pieces in a rich, complex sauce made with a blend of Mexican peppers, such as Guajillo, Pasilla, and Ancho Chiles. These chiles provide the signature flavor and spice of the sauce that I’ve rounded out with various spices, nuts, seeds, and chocolate. I like to use Mexican chocolate as it’s more traditional, but if I don’t have any on hand, any type works.

Don’t be discouraged by the number of ingredients involved in this recipe; believe me, the result is worth it! What you get is a sauce that has a deep umami flavor with hints of smokiness from the roasted peppers, spices, and chocolate that is balanced with a hint of sweetness from the raisins.

Tips for Beginners

Toast the spices, nuts, seeds, and chiles. Before blending these ingredients into the sauce, make sure to toast them as it brings out their flavors and aromas.
For a smooth and creamy sauce. Use a food processor or blender to puree the sauce.
Taste the sauce and adjust to your preference . The level of spiciness in mole sauce can vary widely depending on the types of chiles used, so taste and adjust accordingly.

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Chicken

▢ 5 lbs whole chicken cut into pieces
▢ 1 onion cut into 4 pieces
▢ 3 cloves garlic
▢ 2 tsp kosher salt

For the Mole Sauce

▢ 4 dried Guajillo peppers
▢ 6 dried Pasilla peppers
▢ 3 dried Ancho Chile peppers
▢ 8 tbsp vegetable oil divided
▢ 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (can use water from step 1 after chicken is cooked)
▢ 6 cloves garlic
▢ 1 cinnamon stick
▢ 5 whole cloves
▢ ½ tsp kosher salt
▢ 1 onion chopped
▢ 3 tomatoes chopped
▢ ⅓ cup raisins
▢ ¼ cup sesame seeds
▢ ¼ cup almonds
▢ ¼ cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
▢ 3 oz. dark chocolate roughly chopped (preferably Mexican chocolate)

Video

Instructions

Place the chicken pieces, onion, garlic, and salt in a large pot. Pour water into the pot until the chicken is completely submerged. Bring the chicken to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 45 minutes. 5 lbs whole chicken, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tsp kosher salt
Remove the stems and seeds from the dried peppers. Heat 4 tbsp of vegetable oil in a skillet. Add in the peppers and pan-fry them for a couple of minutes. 4 dried Guajillo peppers, 6 dried Pasilla peppers, 3 dried Ancho Chile peppers, 8 tbsp vegetable oil
Add the peppers and 2½ cups chicken broth (can use water from step 1 after chicken is cooked) to a food processor. 2½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add in the garlic cloves, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and salt, and cook for a couple of minutes until slightly browned. And in the onion and tomatoes, continue to cook for a few minutes until softened. 6 cloves garlic, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 whole cloves, ½ tsp kosher salt, 1 onion, 3 tomatoes
Remove the cinnamon stick and whole cloves from the skillet. Then, transfer the vegetables to a food processor.
Add 2 tbsp of oil to the skillet. Then, add in the raisins, sesame seeds, almonds, and pepitas to the same skillet. Toast until golden brown. ⅓ cup raisins, ¼ cup sesame seeds, ¼ cup almonds, ¼ cup pepitas
Add the toasted nuts, seeds, and raisins to the food processor. Blend everything together until smooth.
Pour the sauce into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add in the chocolate and stir until melted. Cook for 30-45 minutes, continuing to stir occasionally. Add in more chicken broth if needed to thin out the sauce. 3 oz. dark chocolate
Add the chicken pieces to the sauce and stir to coat them. Top with a sprinkling sesame seeds and cilantro. Serve with rice and/or tortillas.

Equipment

Food Processor

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Chicken Mole Step by Step

Overhead view of ingredients for chicken mole. - 6

Gather your ingredients.

Chicken pieces in a pot with garlic and onion all covered in water. - 7

Cook the chicken : Place 5 pounds of chicken pieces, 1 onion, 3 cloves of garlic, and 2 tsp salt in a large pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 45 minutes.

Dried chili peppers cooking in oil in a skillet. - 8

Sauté the peppers: Cut off the stems and remove the seeds from the dried peppers. Add 4 tbsp of vegetable oil to a skillet and then add 4 dried Guajillo peppers, 6 dried Pasilla peppers, 3 dried Ancho Chile peppers, and fry for a couple of minutes.

Prepare the sauce: Place the pan-fried peppers and 2½ cups chicken broth (or use the water from step 1 after the chicken is cooked) in the food processor.

Sauteeing onion, tomatoes, garlic, cinnamon and cloves in a skillet. - 9

Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil to the skillet over medium heat and saute 6 garlic cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 whole cloves, and ½ tsp salt, until slightly browned. Stir in 1 onion and 3 tomatoes and continue cooking until softened.

Remove the cinnamon stick and cloves from the pan and then transfer the vegetables to the food processor.

Toasted nuts and seeds in a skillet. - 10

Add 2 more tbsp of oil to the skillet and toast ⅓ cup raisins, ¼ cup sesame seeds, ¼ cup of almonds, and ¼ cup of pepitas.

Transfer the toasted nuts, seeds, and raisins to the food processor. Blend everything until smooth.

Pour the contents of the food processor into the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Adding Mexican dark chocolate to the sauce. - 12

Stir in 3 oz. of dark chocolate, stirring until melted. If needed, add more chicken broth if the sauce gets too thick.

Add the chicken to the sauce and stir to coat, ensuring each piece is coated in the sauce.

Overhead view of chicken cooking in mole sauce, in a stainless steel pan. - 13

Garnish and serve: Top with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and chopped cilantro. Serve with rice and/or tortillas.

Variations

I went with a mole poblano for this chicken mole recipe, but there are many variations on this dish that are traditional to different regions of Mexico. Here are some common variations to try:

Mole Negro: A darker and spicier sauce made with Ancho chiles, Mulato chiles, and blackened spices.
Mole Coloradito: A red sauce made with Ancho chiles and tomato paste, with a slightly sweet and spicy flavor.
Mole Amarillo: A yellow sauce made with Guajillo chiles and tomatillos, with a tangy and slightly spicy flavor.
Mole Verde: A green sauce made with fresh herbs, pumpkin seeds, and tomatillos, with a fresh and bright flavor.
Mole Manchamantel: A fruitier sauce made with pineapple and plantains, with a slightly sweet and spicy flavor.

How to Store

Chicken mole can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors will actually deepen and intensify with time.

Reheat in a saucepan set over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally; in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally; or covered with aluminum foil in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes, or until warmed through.

Freeze chicken with mole poblano in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Overhead view of chicken with mole sauce in a pot. - 14

Serving Suggestions

Chicken mole is a versatile and flavorful dish that can be served with a variety of sides to complement its rich flavors. I like to serve mine with cilantro rice or fresh tortillas. It’s also delicious with a side of hearty refried beans , this healthy street corn , or simply roasted vegetables .

A refreshing blood orange paloma or Aperol margarita would pair so well with this rich, complex dish!

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Equipment

Food Processor