Braised Chicken in Smoky Oaxacan Mole Negro

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-19 · Updated 2026-06-19

Tender chicken thighs slowly braised in a complex, smoky mole negro sauce with rich layers of spices and chocolate. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, vegetable oil, dried ancho chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 dried ancho chilies
• 2 dried pasilla chilies
• 2 dried mulato chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4, peeled garlic cloves
• 1 large, chopped tomato
• 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp, toasted sesame seeds
• 1 tsp white sugar

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 dried ancho, 2 dried pasilla, and 2 dried mulato chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then soak them in 2 cups hot water for 20 minutes to soften.
2. Step 2: While chilies soak, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add 6 bone-in chicken thighs skin side down; brown for 4 minutes until golden, then flip and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same pot, add 1 medium quartered white onion, 4 peeled garlic cloves, and 1 large chopped tomato. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and aromatic.
4. Step 4: Drain chilies, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid. Blend softened chilies, sautéed onion, garlic, tomato, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 whole cloves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate, 1 tsp white sugar, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, and 1 cup reserved chili soaking liquid until smooth.
5. Step 5: Pour mole sauce back into pot with 3 cups chicken broth and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
6. Step 6: Return browned chicken thighs to the pot, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 45 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Step 7: Adjust seasoning and serve chicken topped with mole sauce and garnished with extra toasted sesame seeds if desired.