Slow-Simmered Seven Mole Chicken with Toasted Seeds

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-08-01 · Updated 2026-08-01

A rich, complex chicken stew featuring Oaxaca's famed seven moles, slow-simmered with toasted pumpkin and sesame seeds for deep, layered flavor. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 100 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, dried ancho chiles, dried pasilla chiles 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 pieces dried ancho chiles
• 3 pieces dried pasilla chiles
• 2 pieces dried mulato chiles
• 2 pieces dried chipotle chiles
• 2 medium, chopped tomato
• 1 medium, quartered white onion
• 4, peeled garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 oz, chopped Mexican chocolate
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 tsp anise seeds
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Remove stems and seeds from 3 dried ancho, 3 pasilla, 2 mulato, and 2 chipotle chiles. Toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then soak in 2 cups hot water for 20 minutes.
2. Step 2: While chiles soak, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 medium quartered white onion and 4 peeled garlic cloves, sautéing for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Drain chiles and puree with 2 chopped medium tomatoes, 1 oz chopped Mexican chocolate, 1 cinnamon stick, 3 whole cloves, 1 tsp anise seeds, and 1 cup soaking water until smooth.
4. Step 4: Pour chile puree into the pot with onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the sauce thickens and darkens.
5. Step 5: Add 6 bone-in chicken thighs, 3 cups chicken broth, 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds, and 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds to the pot. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
6. Step 6: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until chicken is tender and sauce is rich and velvety.
7. Step 7: Remove cinnamon stick and whole cloves before serving. Serve mole chicken with warm corn tortillas or rice.