Slow-Simmered Chicken Mole with Toasted Chilies

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

A rich and hearty chicken mole featuring a complex blend of spices, toasted dried chilies, and a touch of dark chocolate, slow-cooked to tender perfection. This Mexican-inspired Cinco de Mayo recipe, ready in about 105 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, 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 420 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 pieces dried ancho chilies
• 3 pieces dried guajillo chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 large, chopped tomato
• 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Toast 3 dried ancho chilies and 3 dried guajillo chilies for 2 minutes per side until fragrant but not burnt. Remove stems and seeds, then soak chilies in 1 cup warm water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, add 1 medium quartered white onion and 4 garlic cloves, sautéing over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Transfer the soaked chilies (with soaking liquid), sautéed onion and garlic, 1 large chopped tomato, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 3 cups chicken broth into a blender. Blend until smooth.
4. Step 4: Season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. In a heavy pot, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat and brown chicken thighs on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Step 5: Pour the blended mole sauce over the chicken, bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 hour until chicken is tender and sauce thickens.
6. Step 6: Stir in 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate until melted and incorporated. Adjust seasoning if needed and serve hot.