Slow-Cooked Chicken Mole with Toasted Sesame and Chili

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-08 · Updated 2026-05-08

A rich, slow-simmered chicken mole sauce infused with toasted sesame seeds and dried chilies, celebrating Cinco de Mayo with deep, layered flavors. This Mexican-inspired Cinco de Mayo recipe, ready in about 80 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on, dried ancho chilies, dried guajillo chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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

• 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on
• 3 whole dried ancho chilies
• 3 whole dried guajillo chilies
• 1 medium (about 1 cup) white onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

The blender we’d make this in → Best Blenders for 2026: Top Picks + Smoothie Season Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 dried ancho chilies and 3 dried guajillo chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes each side until fragrant, then remove stems and seeds and soak in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: While chilies soak, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Season 2 lbs chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, then brown chicken skin-side down for 5 minutes until golden, flip and brown 3 more minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same pot, add 1 cup chopped white onion and 4 minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 4 minutes until translucent and fragrant. Drain chilies, reserving soaking liquid.
4. Step 4: Transfer softened chilies, onion, garlic, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate, and 1 cup chicken broth plus 1/4 cup chili soaking liquid to a blender. Blend until smooth.
5. Step 5: Pour mole sauce back into pot, bring to a simmer over low heat. Return browned chicken thighs to pot, cover, and cook for 45 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.
6. Step 6: Serve chicken mole hot over 2 cups cooked white rice, spooning extra sauce on top.