Slow-Simmered Oaxacan Black Mole Chicken

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-07 · Updated 2026-06-07

Tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich, smoky, and complex Oaxacan black mole sauce featuring seven distinct chiles and spices. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 105 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried pasilla chiles, dried mulato chiles 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 pasilla chiles
• 3 pieces dried mulato chiles
• 2 pieces dried chipotle chiles
• 3 pieces dried ancho chiles
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4 cloves, peeled garlic cloves
• 2 medium, roasted tomato
• 2 slices torn stale bread
• 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Remove stems and seeds from 3 dried pasilla, 3 mulato, 2 chipotle, and 3 ancho chiles, then toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened; transfer to a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water to soak for 20 minutes.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat; add 1 medium quartered white onion and 4 peeled garlic cloves, sautéing until softened and golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Step 3: Drain chiles, then blend them with sautéed onion, garlic, 2 roasted medium tomatoes, 2 slices torn stale bread, 1 oz unsweetened dark chocolate, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 small cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, and 1 cup chicken broth until smooth.
4. Step 4: In a large pot over medium heat, add the mole sauce and remaining 3 cups chicken broth; bring to a simmer, then add 6 bone-in chicken thighs, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
5. Step 5: Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender and sauce thickens to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Step 6: Serve chicken topped with mole sauce, garnished with additional toasted sesame seeds if desired.