Slow-Cooked Mole Negro Chicken with Toasted Sesame

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-12 · Updated 2026-06-12

Chicken simmered in a rich, complex Oaxacan mole negro sauce with notes of toasted spices and sesame seeds. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 100 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried ancho chiles, dried pasilla chiles 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

• 6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
• 3 pieces dried ancho chiles
• 2 pieces dried pasilla chiles
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 medium white onion, quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Remove stems and seeds from 3 dried ancho chiles and 2 dried pasilla chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt.
2. Step 2: Place toasted chiles, 1 medium quartered white onion, 4 peeled garlic cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 4 whole cloves into a pot with 3 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes to soften chiles.
3. Step 3: Transfer the chile broth mixture to a blender and add 1 ounce of chopped unsweetened chocolate and 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds. Blend until smooth.
4. Step 4: Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and brown them in the oil for 4 minutes per side until golden.
5. Step 5: Pour the mole sauce over the browned chicken in the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce thickens.
6. Step 6: Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with rice or tortillas to soak up the rich mole negro sauce.