Slow-Simmered Oaxacan Mole Negro Chicken

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-02 · Updated 2026-06-02

Tender chicken thighs cooked slowly in a rich, complex Oaxacan mole negro sauce featuring dark chocolate and toasted chilies. This mexican-inspired chicken ready in about 120 minutes pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried pasilla chilies, dried mulato chilies for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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 chilies
• 3 pieces dried mulato chilies
• 3 pieces dried ancho chilies
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 2 medium, roasted tomato
• 1/4 cup, toasted almonds
• 2 tbsp, toasted pumpkin seeds
• 1 tbsp, toasted black sesame seeds
• 1 oz, chopped Mexican chocolate
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 dried pasilla chilies, 3 dried mulato chilies, and 3 dried ancho chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes each side until fragrant but not burnt, then soak them in 2 cups of hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, toast 1/4 cup almonds, 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds, and 1 tbsp black sesame seeds over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until golden and aromatic, then set aside.
3. Step 3: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and sauté 1 medium quartered white onion and 4 garlic cloves for 5 minutes until softened and lightly caramelized.
4. Step 4: Drain the chilies, reserving soaking liquid, and transfer chilies, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, 2 roasted medium tomatoes, 1 oz chopped Mexican chocolate, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, and 4 allspice berries into a blender with 1 cup of the reserved chili soaking liquid; blend until smooth.
5. Step 5: Pour the blended mole sauce back into the pot with the sautéed onion and garlic, add 3 cups chicken broth, and 1 1/2 tsp salt; simmer gently over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.
6. Step 6: Meanwhile, season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with salt and brown in a separate skillet over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes per side until golden.
7. Step 7: Transfer the browned chicken thighs into the mole sauce, cover, and simmer on low for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the sauce coats the chicken luxuriously.