Chicken Mole Recipe

Season and brown

Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add thighs skin-side down and brown, 6–8 minutes, until deep golden. Flip and brown the other side 4–5 minutes. Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding. Remove browned chicken to a plate.

Pour off excess fat, leaving about 1 tbsp in the pot. Return all chicken to the pot and add 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently 25–30 minutes until chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/74°C). Remove chicken and reserve broth. Keep chicken warm; you will finish it in the mole sauce later.

Prepare chiles: Wipe dried chiles with a dry cloth. Cut stems off and shake out seeds. Toast chiles briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat 15–30 seconds per side until fragrant but not blackened. Transfer to a bowl and cover with very hot water. Soak 20–25 minutes until softened, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup soaking liquid.

Char vegetables: While chiles soak, halve the onion and char cut side down in a hot skillet (or under a broiler) until softened and blackened in spots, about 6–8 minutes. Roast or char the tomato and optional tomatillo until skin is blistered. Peel tomato if desired. Peel the garlic cloves and char them in the same pan until lightly browned, 2–3 minutes.

Remove skins from chiles if desired for a smoother sauce. Place the softened chiles, charred onion, tomato, tomatillo (if using), and garlic in a blender.

Toast nuts, seeds and bread: In the same skillet, add 1 cup blanched almonds and 1 cup pepitas; toast, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 4–6 minutes. Add 2 tbsp sesame seeds and toast 1 minute more. Remove and set aside. Toast 2 slices of stale bread in the pan with 1 tbsp oil until deeply golden; break into pieces and set aside.

Add 1 cup raisins (or chopped prunes) to the blender with the chiles and roasted vegetables. Add the toasted almonds, pepitas, sesame seeds, and broken toasted bread pieces to the blender as well.

Add spices: To the blender, add 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, and 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Add the reserved 1/2 cup chile soaking liquid and up to 1 cup of chicken broth (from the 2 cups set aside for blending) to help the blender form a smooth purée. Blend on high until very smooth, 2–4 minutes. If the mixture is too thick for your blender, thin with additional chicken broth, a few tablespoons at a time.

Strain and finish: For an ultra-smooth mole, press the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, using the back of a spoon or spatula. Discard solids. Return strained sauce to the Dutch oven or a clean skillet over medium-low heat.

Meld and balance flavors: Stir in 2 oz chopped unsweetened dark chocolate and 1 tbsp brown sugar (or to taste). Simmer gently, stirring often, 15–20 minutes so flavors meld. If sauce is too thick, thin with reserved chicken broth a little at a time until desired consistency (should coat the back of a spoon). Add 1 tbsp apple cider or sherry vinegar and taste; season with salt to taste. The mole should be complex: savory, mildly sweet, slightly bitter from chocolate, and bright from vinegar.

Finish chicken in mole: Return the cooked chicken thighs (and any accumulated juices) to the sauce, spooning the mole over the pieces. Simmer gently, uncovered, 10–12 minutes so the chicken absorbs sauce flavors and finishes cooking. If using skin-on pieces and you prefer crisp skin, remove chicken once heated through, place on a sheet pan and broil 2–3 minutes skin-side up to crisp, then spoon mole over when serving.

Adjust seasoning and consistency: Taste sauce and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar as needed. If mole is too rich, stir in a couple tablespoons of reserved chicken broth to loosen.

Serve: Transfer chicken to a serving platter and spoon mole generously over each piece. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro if desired. Serve with rice, warm corn tortillas, or frijoles de olla.