Homemade Mole Poblano with Chicken

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-04 · Updated 2026-04-04

A complex Mexican masterpiece from Puebla, featuring a harmonious blend of dried chilies, chocolate, and spices in a rich sauce that elevates tender chicken to authentic perfection. This mexican ready in about 165 minutes pairs chicken thighs, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 300 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

• 1.5 lbs, bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4, seeded and stemmed dried ancho chilies
• 2, seeded and stemmed dried pasilla chilies
• 2, seeded and stemmed dried mulato chilies
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup, torn into pieces dried bread
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1, quartered onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Step 1: Season chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear chicken thighs for 5 minutes per side until golden brown—remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: In a dry skillet, toast 1 tbsp sesame seeds and 1/4 cup almonds over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden. Toast 4 dried ancho chilies, 2 dried pasilla chilies, and 2 dried mulato chilies for 1 minute per side until fragrant, then remove stems and seeds.
3. Step 3: In a blender, combine toasted chilies, toasted sesame seeds, toasted almonds, 1/2 cup torn dried bread, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 quartered onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, and 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. Add 1 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups chicken stock, then blend until completely smooth, scraping sides as needed.
4. Step 4: Pour blended mole sauce into a large pot, add seared chicken (and juices), and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 1 hour 30 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.
5. Step 5: Remove chicken, skim excess fat from sauce, then stir in 1 tsp sesame oil. Return chicken to pot to warm through for 5 minutes before serving.