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Flavorful Oaxacan Mole Negro with Chicken Easy Authentic Recipe

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An authentic and approachable recipe for Oaxacan mole negro with chicken, featuring a rich, smoky, and bittersweet sauce made from toasted chiles, nuts, and Mexican chocolate. Perfect for family gatherings and special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 dried pasilla chiles (seeded and stemmed)
  • 3 dried mulato chiles (seeded and stemmed)
  • 2 dried ancho chiles (seeded and stemmed)
  • 1 medium white onion, quartered
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)
  • 1/4 cup almonds (toasted)
  • 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds (toasted)
  • 1 corn tortilla, toasted and torn into pieces
  • 2 tablespoons Mexican chocolate (Ibarra or Abuelita recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican oregano)
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or lard
  • Salt to taste
  • 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 lbs / 900g)
  • Salt and pepper to season
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Pat the chicken thighs dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden, about 4–5 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
  2. In the same dry skillet over medium heat, toast the dried pasilla, mulato, and ancho chiles for about 1–2 minutes per side until fragrant. Place chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 20 minutes until softened.
  3. Toast sesame seeds, almonds, and pumpkin seeds separately in the skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes each. Set aside.
  4. Toast the corn tortilla pieces in the skillet until crisp and browned in spots, about 1–2 minutes per side. Char the onion quarters and garlic cloves until slightly blackened.
  5. Drain the softened chiles and transfer to a blender. Add toasted nuts, seeds, tortilla, onion, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, cloves, and about 1 cup of chicken broth. Blend until smooth, adding more broth gradually to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
  6. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Pour in the blended mole sauce and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes until thickened and deepened in color.
  7. Break the Mexican chocolate into pieces and stir into the mole sauce. Continue cooking until the chocolate melts completely and the sauce is rich and glossy, about 5 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
  8. Add the browned chicken thighs to the sauce. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 30–40 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through, until the meat is tender and infused with mole flavors.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The sauce should coat the chicken beautifully with a balanced bittersweet flavor and a hint of spice.
  10. Serve mole negro hot over steamed white rice or warm corn tortillas with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds on top.

Notes

Toast chiles and nuts carefully to avoid burning, which causes bitterness. Blend the sauce thoroughly for a smooth texture. Simmer gently to prevent scorching. If mole is too thick, add more broth; if too thin, simmer longer uncovered. Charring onion and garlic adds smoky depth. Cover pot partially when simmering chicken to keep meat juicy. Mole tastes better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: Oaxacan mole negro, mole negro recipe, Mexican mole, chicken mole, authentic mole, mole sauce, Mexican chocolate, pasilla chiles, mulato chiles, ancho chiles

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