Puebla-Style Chicken Mole with Toasted Nuts and Chocolate

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-01 · Updated 2026-05-01

Complex and rich Puebla-style mole sauce simmered with chicken, featuring toasted nuts, dried chilies, and bittersweet chocolate. This Mexican-inspired Cinco de Mayo recipe, ready in about 75 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried pasilla chilies, dried guajillo chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, 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

• 4 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
• 3 large dried pasilla chilies
• 3 large dried guajillo chilies
• 1 medium sliced white onion
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 ounce dark chocolate (70% cacao)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Remove stems and seeds from 3 dried pasilla chilies and 3 dried guajillo chilies. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt.
2. Step 2: Soak the toasted chilies in 2 cups hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
3. Step 3: Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium sliced white onion and 4 cloves minced garlic; sauté for 5 minutes until translucent and fragrant.
4. Step 4: Drain chilies and blend them with 1 cup tomato puree, 1/4 cup toasted almonds, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons raisins, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 ounce dark chocolate until smooth.
5. Step 5: Pour the mole sauce into the pot with onions and garlic, stirring over medium heat for 5 minutes until thickened.
6. Step 6: Season 4 bone-in chicken thighs with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, then add to the pot.
7. Step 7: Cover and simmer on low for 40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender, turning occasionally to coat with mole sauce.
8. Step 8: Serve chicken topped generously with mole sauce and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.