Why You’ll Love This this Soul-Warming Mexican Mole Chicken
This soul-warming Mexican mole chicken brings together the most incredible combination of rich chocolate, toasted nuts, and warm spices that’ll make your kitchen smell like pure magic.
The sauce is surprisingly easy to whip up in your blender, turning everyday ingredients like tortilla chips and sesame seeds into something that tastes like you’ve been simmering it for hours.
Once that chocolate melts into the savory tomato base and coats the tender chicken, you’ll understand why mole is considered one of Mexico’s greatest culinary treasures.
Ingredients List
You’ll need just a handful of everyday ingredients to create this restaurant-quality mole that tastes like it took all day to make.
- 2 to 2½ lbs meaty skinless chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- ⅓ cup toasted almonds
- ¼ cup crushed tortilla chips
- ¼ cup water
- 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (or 2 canned whole green chili peppers, seeded and chopped)
- ¼ cup snipped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ounce semisweet chocolate, cut up
- Lean protein powerhouse: Skinless chicken keeps the dish lighter while still delivering satisfying protein that’ll keep you full without the guilt
- Nutrient-dense nuts and seeds: Those almonds and sesame seeds pack healthy fats, fiber, and minerals that turn this comfort food into something your body actually thanks you for
- Fresh herb boost: The cilantro and fresh jalapeños add vitamins and antioxidants, plus they brighten up all those rich, warm flavors
- Whole food ingredients: Most of these items are minimally processed, so you’re getting real nutrition instead of a bunch of mystery chemicals
- Prep the chicken: Rinse chicken pieces and pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Sauté the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet, then cook onion and garlic for 3-5 minutes until tender but not brown. Remove from skillet and let cool slightly.
- Blend the mole sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the cooled onion mixture, tomato sauce, almonds, tortilla chips, water, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, sesame seeds, cinnamon, salt, and cloves until completely smooth.
- Brown the chicken: Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet, add chicken pieces and cook exposed over medium heat for 15 minutes, turning to brown evenly on all sides.
- Simmer everything together: Add the blended tomato mixture to the browned chicken, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes until chicken is tender with no pink remaining.
- Finish with chocolate: Transfer chicken to serving platter and keep warm. Skim fat from the sauce, then add chocolate pieces and stir over low heat until melted.
- Serve: Pour the chocolate mole sauce over the chicken and serve with rice.
- Sesame seed substitutes: Sunflower seeds work in a pinch, or just leave them out completely since they’re more about texture than flavor anyway.
- Fresh cilantro alternatives: Dried cilantro works but use way less, or try fresh parsley if cilantro tastes like soap to you – we’ve all got that one friend who’s the cilantro gene.
- Mexican rice – The classic choice that soaks up all that gorgeous chocolate-chile goodness, and you can make it from scratch or grab the boxed stuff if you’re feeling lazy.
- Warm corn tortillas – Perfect for making little chicken tacos or just using them like edible spoons, which is basically what tortillas were invented for anyway.
- Refried beans – They add that creamy, earthy balance to cut through the mole’s intensity, plus beans and chicken are like the dynamic duo of Mexican comfort food.
- Simple avocado slices – Because sometimes you need something cool and mild to give your taste buds a break from all that complex sauce action.
- Mexican street corn salad – All the flavors of elote but way easier to eat with a fork, and the lime brightens up the whole plate.
- Pickled red onions – These tangy little gems cut right through the richness and add a pop of color that makes your plate look like it belongs on Instagram.
- Toast those sesame seeds and almonds properly – I’m talking golden brown, not “eh, close enough” beige, because that nutty flavor is what separates good mole from great mole, and your kitchen should smell like a Mexican spice market, not disappointment.
- Don’t skip patting the chicken dry – Wet chicken in hot oil creates more drama than a telenovela, plus you want that beautiful golden crust, not sad, steamed poultry that looks like it gave up on life.
- Blend that sauce until it’s actually smooth – None of this chunky business where you can still see whole almonds floating around like little flavor islands, because mole should coat your chicken like silk pajamas, not gravel.
- Let the chocolate melt slowly at the end – Rushing this part by cranking up the heat will give you grainy, seized chocolate that looks like it’s having an existential crisis, and nobody wants that kind of negative energy in their dinner.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning – Mole is supposed to be complex, with sweet, spicy, and earthy notes all dancing together, so if something tastes flat, don’t be afraid to add a pinch more cinnamon or salt until your taste buds do a little happy dance.
- High in protein – Each serving provides approximately 35-40 grams of lean protein from chicken, supporting muscle maintenance and keeping you satisfied longer than your average weeknight dinner.
- Heart-healthy fats from almonds and sesame seeds – These nuts and seeds contribute monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, plus magnesium for bone health and energy metabolism.
- Antioxidant powerhouse – The combination of tomatoes, chocolate, cinnamon, and cloves delivers flavonoids and lycopene that fight inflammation and support cardiovascular health.
- Moderate calorie count – One serving contains roughly 420-480 calories, making it a reasonable option that won’t derail your daily goals while still feeling indulgent.
- Good source of iron and zinc – The chicken provides heme iron for oxygen transport, while sesame seeds add plant-based iron and zinc for immune function.
- Capsaicin benefits from jalapeños – These little heat bombs contain compounds that may boost metabolism and provide natural pain relief.
- Low in refined sugars – Unlike many restaurant moles loaded with added sugars, this version gets its subtle sweetness primarily from the small amount of chocolate and natural ingredients.
Step by Step Directions
Making this authentic Mexican mole chicken is surprisingly straightforward when you break it down into simple steps.
For an even richer smoky flavor that elevates this traditional dish, consider preparing the chicken on a premium BBQ smoker before adding it to the mole sauce.
Substitutions and Variations
Additional Things to Serve With This Dish
Mole chicken practically begs for some good sides because, to be frank, that rich sauce deserves a proper supporting cast.
Cooking Tips & Tricks (Chef’s Notes)
Making mole from scratch can feel intimidating, but honestly, most of the magic happens in your blender while you’re just standing there looking important.
Nutritional Facts
This hearty Mexican mole delivers a surprisingly balanced nutritional profile, packing protein, healthy fats, and essential minerals into every rich, chocolatey bite.
Fun “Did You Know?”
Beyond its impressive nutritional benefits, mole carries fascinating secrets that’ll make you appreciate this complex sauce even more.
Did you realize mole originated in pre-Columbian Mexico, where Aztecs created chocolate-based sauces for special ceremonies? The word “mole” comes from the Nahuatl word “mulli,” meaning sauce or mixture.
Traditional mole recipes can contain over 20 ingredients and take days to prepare properly. Each Mexican region has its own unique mole variation—there are actually seven classic types!
The chocolate wasn’t added until Spanish colonizers introduced sugar, transforming this ancient sauce into the complex flavor masterpiece we recognize today.
