Slow-Simmered Chicken Mole with Toasted Almonds

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-12 · Updated 2026-05-12

A rich, slow-cooked chicken mole featuring deep chocolate, smoky chilies, and toasted almonds for a festive Cinco de Mayo meal. This Mexican-inspired Cinco de Mayo recipe, ready in about 85 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried ancho chilies, dried pasilla 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 dried ancho chilies
• 2 dried pasilla chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4, peeled garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup toasted almonds
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 dried ancho chilies and 2 dried pasilla chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then soak in 1 cup hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with salt and black pepper and sear for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown; remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add 1 medium quartered white onion and 4 peeled garlic cloves to the pot, sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
4. Step 4: Drain chilies, reserving soaking liquid, and blend chilies with 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup toasted almonds, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 cup reserved soaking liquid until smooth.
5. Step 5: Pour the blended mole sauce into the pot with onions and garlic, cook over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until thickened and aromatic.
6. Step 6: Return chicken thighs to the pot, add 3 cups chicken broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 45 minutes until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.
7. Step 7: Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving the mole-rich chicken over rice or warm tortillas.