I spent months refining my Chicken Mole with Homemade Mole Sauce, and my Mole Ingredients list hides an unexpected spice that makes this version uniquely mine.

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I make mole the way my abuela didn’t exactly teach me, she just tossed me into the kitchen and I learned to tease smoky heat from dried ancho chiles then coat bone in chicken pieces with the sauce. There is a secret rhythm to stirring until it sings, a smell that makes you stop what you’re doing.

I love how this recipe sits between a spicy mystery and something unexpectedly bold. If you ever thought about Slow Cooker Mole, this isn’t that same shortcut, but knowing the right Mole Ingredients changes everything.

Stick around, you may even find the mistake that made it perfect.

Ingredients

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Chicken gives protein and savory body, keeps sauce hearty, needs salt
Ancho pasilla mulato bring smoky fruity heat, lots of flavor not just spice
Chocolate adds bitter sweet depth and smoothness, melts into rich complex notes
Sesame gives nuttiness tiny crunch and some healthy oils and protein
Nuts boost texture and fat, add calories yes but also vitamin E
Plantain lends sweetness and body when fried, balances heat with soft starch
Tortilla or bolillo thicken the mole, give body and subtle corn flavor
Raisins or sugar bring sweet sticky fruitiness, helps marry bitter chocolate and chiles

Ingredient Quantities

3 to 4 lb bone in chicken pieces about 1.5 kg

4 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed

2 dried pasilla chiles stems and seeds removed

2 dried mulato chiles stems and seeds removed

2 roma tomatoes

1 medium white onion quartered

4 garlic cloves

1 small ripe plantain or banana peeled and sliced

2 corn tortillas or 2 slices day old bolillo or bread

1 4 cup raw almonds

1 4 cup peanuts unsalted

1 4 cup pumpkin seeds pepitas toasted if you can

1 3 cup sesame seeds divided plus extra for garnish

1 4 cup raisins

1 cinnamon stick about 2 inch

4 whole cloves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

2 bay leaves

1 2 teaspoon black peppercorns

2 ounces Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chopped

2 tablespoons brown sugar or piloncillo grated

4 cups chicken stock or broth

2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard

Salt to taste

How to Make this

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1. Put the chicken pieces in a large pot with 4 cups chicken stock, quartered onion, 1 or 2 of the garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, a few peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside (reserve the broth), shred or keep on the bone as you like.

2. While the chicken cooks, toast the dried chiles (ancho, pasilla, mulato) in a dry skillet 20 to 40 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned, then put them in a bowl and cover with very hot water to soak 15 to 20 minutes. Remove stems and seeds before toasting if you didn’t already.

3. Char or roast the roma tomatoes, the remaining onion pieces and the rest of the garlic cloves on a hot skillet or under a broiler until black spots form; let cool and peel the garlic if needed.

4. In the same dry skillet toast the almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and 1/3 cup sesame seeds until golden and fragrant; toss the raisins in for just a minute to plump them a little. Separately toast the cinnamon stick, whole cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and the remaining peppercorns until aromatic. Set all aside.

5. Fry the sliced plantain (or banana) and the corn tortillas or bolillo slices in about half of the 2 tablespoons oil until golden brown and soft, drain on paper towels. Keep the other half of the oil to finish the mole.

6. Into a high speed blender put the soaked chiles (drain but keep a little soaking liquid), roasted tomatoes, roasted onion and garlic, the toasted nuts and seeds, raisins, fried plantain and tortillas, toasted spices (remove the cinnamon stick if you prefer and break it into pieces), 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, the 2 tablespoons brown sugar or grated piloncillo, and about 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Add the chopped Mexican or bittersweet chocolate. Blend in batches until very smooth, adding more stock or chile soaking water to reach a thick saucy consistency.

7. Heat the remaining oil or lard in a wide pot over medium heat, pour in the blended mole paste and cook, stirring, 6 to 8 minutes to deepen the flavor and remove raw blender taste. Add the rest of the reserved chicken stock as needed to thin the sauce to your liking. Simmer gently 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick.

8. Taste and season with salt and more brown sugar if it needs balance. If the mole is too bitter add a small pinch of sugar; if too thick add stock. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t scorch.

9. Add the cooked chicken to the mole and simmer together 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors marry. Remove any whole cinnamon stick or bay leaves before serving. Serve the chicken mole topped with extra toasted sesame seeds and a few toasted pumpkin seeds, with rice and warm tortillas.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy pot or stockpot (about 5 to 6 quart) for poaching the chicken and simmering the mole
2. Large dry skillet or cast iron pan for toasting chiles, nuts and charring tomatoes
3. High speed blender or regular blender (a tamper helps) to get the mole silky smooth
4. Baking sheet or broiler pan for roasting the tomatoes, onion and garlic under the broiler
5. Frying pan for shallow frying plantain and tortillas (you can use the same skillet but handy to have a second)
6. Fine mesh strainer or sieve to drain the chiles and to strain the sauce if you want it extra smooth
7. Cutting board and sharp chef knife for chopping and prep
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring so it doesn’t stick and burn
9. Tongs or slotted spoon plus a ladle for handling the chicken and serving

FAQ

Q: Can I use different chiles if I dont have ancho, pasilla or mulato? A: Yes. Use guajillo or chipotle in place of one type, but flavor will change. Try to keep a mix of mildly sweet and smoky chiles so the mole stays balanced.

Q: Do I have to toast and soak the chiles? A: You should. Toasting briefly brings out flavor, and soaking softens them so they blend smooth. Dont burn them or they get bitter.

Q: Can I make this nut free for allergies? A: You can replace almonds and peanuts with extra pumpkin seeds and sesame, or use all pepitas and more seeds. Texture and richness drop a bit, so add a little extra chocolate or brown sugar to compensate.

Q: How do I cook the chicken with the mole? A: Brown chicken first for color, then simmer in the finished mole until cooked through and tender. Or cook chicken separately in stock then toss with the sauce. Bone in pieces give the best flavor.

Q: Can I substitute Mexican chocolate? A: Use good quality bittersweet or dark chocolate 60 to 70 percent if you cant find Mexican chocolate. Avoid milk chocolate, it makes the mole too sweet. Add a pinch of salt if needed.

Q: How long will mole keep and can I freeze it? A: Mole keeps in the fridge 3 to 4 days and freezes well up to 3 months. Reheat slowly, thin with a little chicken stock if it gets too thick, and taste for salt before serving.

Mexican Mole Sauce Recipe (Chicken Mole) Substitutions and Variations

Dry chiles (ancho, pasilla, mulato)
- Guajillo chiles — similar body and fruity tang, use 3–4 for balance
- New Mexico chiles — milder, earthy, good if you want less heat
- 3 small chipotles in adobo — adds smokiness, use less cause theyre hotter
- 2 tbsp ancho chile powder + 1 tsp smoked paprika — shortcut if no whole chiles
Mexican or bittersweet chocolate
- Good quality dark chocolate (60–70%) — closest texture and bitterness
- Unsweetened cocoa powder + 1–2 tbsp brown sugar — stir in a little butter to mimic fat
- Mexican chocolate substitute paste or a couple squares of semisweet + pinch cinnamon
- Bittersweet baking chocolate + a small square of milk chocolate if you want sweetness
Corn tortillas or day old bolillo/bread
- Stale sandwich bread or baguette slices — tears up fine and soaks sauce well
- Crackers or saltines — small amount crushed for body if bread not available
- Tostadas or corn chips — for a corn flavor, reduce added salt elsewhere
- Rice cakes — in a pinch, they absorb and thicken though flavor is neutral
Nuts and seeds (almonds, peanuts, pepitas, sesame)
- Cashews instead of almonds — creamy, melts into sauce nicely
- Sunflower seeds for peanuts or pepitas — good nut free option
- Peanut butter or almond butter — 2 tbsp can replace some ground nuts to save time
- Tahini or extra sesame seeds — swap if you want a stronger sesame note

Pro Tips

1. Toast your chiles and nuts low and slow, watch them the whole time cause one second too long and they go bitter, if you scorch them you gotta start over. remove seeds and membranes to tame heat but don’t throw away everything, a few seeds give depth. soak the chiles in hot water just long enough to soften, not so long they get slimy.

2. Toast seeds and nuts separately, sesame and pumpkin seeds burn faster than almonds or peanuts so keep them moving. if you want the sauce velvety, grind the nuts/seeds as fine as you can or pulse them extra in the blender, and then push the finished sauce through a fine mesh strainer for a silky finish.

3. Fry the plantain and tortillas until golden and slightly caramelized, that sweetness and toasted starch is what gives mole body. use the oil left from frying to start the sauce, it adds flavor, and if you’re short on oil you can roast the bread/tortilla in the oven then pan crisp quickly.

4. Blend warm not cold, add warm chicken stock a little at a time and blend in batches so the blender isnt working too hard. cook the blended paste long enough to lose the raw blender taste and simmer gently while stirring often so it does not stick. taste as you go, add a tiny pinch of sugar or more chocolate to fix bitterness, but do it slowly, you can always add more. let the finished mole rest or cool overnight it gets way better the next day.

Mexican Mole Sauce Recipe (Chicken Mole)

Recipe by Dan Coroni

0.0 from 0 votes

I spent months refining my Chicken Mole with Homemade Mole Sauce, and my Mole Ingredients list hides an unexpected spice that makes this version uniquely mine.

Servings

servings

Calories

650

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large heavy pot or stockpot (about 5 to 6 quart) for poaching the chicken and simmering the mole
2. Large dry skillet or cast iron pan for toasting chiles, nuts and charring tomatoes
3. High speed blender or regular blender (a tamper helps) to get the mole silky smooth
4. Baking sheet or broiler pan for roasting the tomatoes, onion and garlic under the broiler
5. Frying pan for shallow frying plantain and tortillas (you can use the same skillet but handy to have a second)
6. Fine mesh strainer or sieve to drain the chiles and to strain the sauce if you want it extra smooth
7. Cutting board and sharp chef knife for chopping and prep
8. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring so it doesn’t stick and burn
9. Tongs or slotted spoon plus a ladle for handling the chicken and serving

Ingredients

3 to 4 lb bone in chicken pieces about 1.5 kg
4 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
2 dried pasilla chiles stems and seeds removed
2 dried mulato chiles stems and seeds removed
2 roma tomatoes
1 medium white onion quartered
4 garlic cloves
1 small ripe plantain or banana peeled and sliced
2 corn tortillas or 2 slices day old bolillo or bread
1 4 cup raw almonds
1 4 cup peanuts unsalted
1 4 cup pumpkin seeds pepitas toasted if you can
1 3 cup sesame seeds divided plus extra for garnish
1 4 cup raisins
1 cinnamon stick about 2 inch
4 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
2 bay leaves
1 2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 ounces Mexican chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chopped
2 tablespoons brown sugar or piloncillo grated
4 cups chicken stock or broth
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
Salt to taste

Directions

Put the chicken pieces in a large pot with 4 cups chicken stock, quartered onion, 1 or 2 of the garlic cloves, 2 bay leaves, a few peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and cook 25 to 30 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside (reserve the broth), shred or keep on the bone as you like.
While the chicken cooks, toast the dried chiles (ancho, pasilla, mulato) in a dry skillet 20 to 40 seconds per side until fragrant but not burned, then put them in a bowl and cover with very hot water to soak 15 to 20 minutes. Remove stems and seeds before toasting if you didn't already.
Char or roast the roma tomatoes, the remaining onion pieces and the rest of the garlic cloves on a hot skillet or under a broiler until black spots form; let cool and peel the garlic if needed.
In the same dry skillet toast the almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds and 1/3 cup sesame seeds until golden and fragrant; toss the raisins in for just a minute to plump them a little. Separately toast the cinnamon stick, whole cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and the remaining peppercorns until aromatic. Set all aside.
Fry the sliced plantain (or banana) and the corn tortillas or bolillo slices in about half of the 2 tablespoons oil until golden brown and soft, drain on paper towels. Keep the other half of the oil to finish the mole.
Into a high speed blender put the soaked chiles (drain but keep a little soaking liquid), roasted tomatoes, roasted onion and garlic, the toasted nuts and seeds, raisins, fried plantain and tortillas, toasted spices (remove the cinnamon stick if you prefer and break it into pieces), 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, the 2 tablespoons brown sugar or grated piloncillo, and about 2 cups of the reserved chicken stock. Add the chopped Mexican or bittersweet chocolate. Blend in batches until very smooth, adding more stock or chile soaking water to reach a thick saucy consistency.
Heat the remaining oil or lard in a wide pot over medium heat, pour in the blended mole paste and cook, stirring, 6 to 8 minutes to deepen the flavor and remove raw blender taste. Add the rest of the reserved chicken stock as needed to thin the sauce to your liking. Simmer gently 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so it does not stick.
Taste and season with salt and more brown sugar if it needs balance. If the mole is too bitter add a small pinch of sugar; if too thick add stock. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't scorch.
Add the cooked chicken to the mole and simmer together 10 to 15 minutes so the flavors marry. Remove any whole cinnamon stick or bay leaves before serving. Serve the chicken mole topped with extra toasted sesame seeds and a few toasted pumpkin seeds, with rice and warm tortillas.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.