Slow-Simmered Seven Chile Mole Negro

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-23 · Updated 2026-07-23

A complex and rich Oaxacan mole negro sauce simmered slowly with seven varieties of dried chiles and spices, perfect for enriching chicken or pork dishes. This mexican-inspired quick meals ready in about 140 minutes pairs dried pasilla chiles, dried mulato chiles, dried chipotle chiles for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 180 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

• 3 pieces dried pasilla chiles
• 3 pieces dried mulato chiles
• 2 pieces dried chipotle chiles
• 2 pieces dried ancho chiles
• 3 pieces dried guajillo chiles
• 2 pieces dried New Mexico chiles
• 2 pieces dried cascabel chiles
• 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
• 1 oz unsweetened Mexican chocolate
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4 cloves, peeled garlic cloves
• 1 small (2-inch) cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp anise seeds
• 4 whole cloves
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toast 3 pasilla, 3 mulato, 2 chipotle, 2 ancho, 3 guajillo, 2 New Mexico, and 2 cascabel dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, flipping once; remove stems and seeds, then soak in 2 cups hot water for 20 minutes until softened.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, toast 1/4 cup raw sesame seeds until golden, 2-3 minutes, then grind them finely using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
3. Step 3: Sauté 1 medium quartered white onion and 4 peeled garlic cloves in 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
4. Step 4: In a blender, combine the softened chiles with 1 oz unsweetened Mexican chocolate, sautéed onion, garlic, 1 small (2-inch) cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon anise seeds, 4 whole cloves, ground sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt; blend until smooth.
5. Step 5: Pour the blended mole sauce into a large saucepan, add 4 cups chicken broth, and simmer gently over low heat for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally until thickened and flavors meld.