Chicken Mole is one of our favorite Mexican Chicken Recipes. Start with the most flavorful homemade mole sauce, combine with chicken, and you’ve got the easiest recipe, ready in under 30 minutes. Make tacos, burritos, and more!
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Easy Chicken Mole with Homemade Sauce
This chicken mole recipe is the easiest one you’ll ever make, and it’s SO delicious.
We all love the amazing flavors of authentic Mexican dishes, but they can often be complicated or require a pantry full of ingredients you just don’t have.
Luckily for you, I have here the best of both worlds! This recipe has simple ingredients with easy directions, without skimping on any of the flavors.
Why You’ll Love this Chicken Mole Recipe:
- Easy: This recipe couldn’t be easier. Make your sauce, combine with chicken, and serve!
- Flavorful: There is so much flavor and spice packed into this delicious homemade mole sauce!
- Versatile: Use this chicken to make tacos, burritos, rice bowls, or serve with your favorite sides!
What is chicken mole?
Mole is a traditional sauce in Mexican cooking, that is poured over cooked meat, rather than cooking along with the meat. The sauce can be made up of various combinations of peppers, nuts, sweet elements, chocolate, spices, and more. So each recipe is a little different!
This easy recipe just combines a homemade mole with shredded chicken. Rich and creamy chocolate adds a delicious sweetness to combat the spiciness of the peppers, making the perfect sauce!
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: I use a rotisserie chicken to make this super easy, but you can make your own shredded chicken.
- Chipotle Peppers with Adobo Sauce: Look for a can of peppers that comes in the sauce, as we are using both parts in this recipe.
- Tomatoes with Green Chiles
- Peanut Butter: Use smooth peanut butter.
- Chicken Broth
- Chocolate: Use unsweetened chocolate.
- Spices: Chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper, garlic
Check the recipe card for the full ingredients list, plus serving suggestions.
Chicken mole is amazing no matter how you make it, but when its made with a simple and delicious homemade mole sauce it’s even better. You’ll never have to go out for it again with how quickly you can put this meal together.
How To Make Chicken Mole (Homemade Sauce)
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Sauce: Simmer peppers on the stove, combine with there rest of the ingredients in a blender, then continue heating and stir in the chocolate.
- Chicken: Stir the chicken in the sauce to fully coat.
- Serve: Serve on tortillas with your favorite topping to make tacos, or serve over rice.
This mole sauce is filled with all kinds of peppers, so it is quite a spicy recipe.
Yes! You can cook chicken with any method you like (keep seasoning to just salt and pepper), then shred it up. This Instant Pot shredded chicken is my favorite option for quick results!
Adobo is a spicy red sauce made from ground chiles. We’re using the sauce that comes in the can of chipotle peppers, but you can use a separate sauce if you’re using a different form of peppers.
What To Serve With Mole Chicken
Chicken mole is best-served with fun and fresh sides that turn it into a real Mexican fiesta, even if you’re just serving up weeknight dinner. I typically whip up a batch of rice or heat up some tortillas for a quick meal.
If you have a little extra time, I suggest prepping some toppings such as avocado, sour cream, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro to make the best tacos ever!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken or another pre-cooked option make this recipe super quick and easy!
- A high-powered blender is the best way to get a super smooth consistency for your homemade sauce.
- Serve with your favorite toppings or sides to make easy burrito bowls.
- Store leftover chicken mole in an airtight container, in the fridge, for 3 days.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, this recipe is easy to make ahead of time! You can make the mole sauce and keep it in the fridge up to 2 weeks ahead of time. Or you can make the mole chicken itself, and store that in the fridge up to 3 days, or freeze for 1 month.
This chicken mole recipe couldn’t be easier! Whether you serve it up on tacos, in a bowl with rice and beans, or any other way you like it, this is the best way to make it. Spicy, flavorful, and beyond delicious!
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Chicken Mole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 chipotle pepper chopped
- 2 teaspoon adobo sauce from chipotle pepper can
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 can)
- 4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 lbs shredded cooked rotisserie chicken
- rice or tortillas for serving
- optional toppings such as avocado, sour cream, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro.
Instructions
- Place a pot over medium heat and add the oil2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the onion and garlic, stirring often for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.1 medium onion, 3 garlic cloves
- Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, tomatoes with green chiles. Stir to combine. Reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.1 chipotle pepper, 2 teaspoon adobo sauce, 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles
- Carefully pour the mixture into a high powered blender.
- Add the peanut butter, chicken broth, chili powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Blend until well combined.4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Return the mixture to the pot over medium heat. Cook to reduce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chocolate and stir until melted.2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- Stir in the chicken, fully coating in the sauce.2 lbs shredded
- Serve over rice or with warm tortillas. Top with optional toppings such as avocado, sour cream, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!rice or tortillas for serving, optional toppings such as avocado, sour cream, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro.
Helen Betts says
This was good, but I’d have to say that 2 pounds of shredded chicken would have been far too much. I used a pound of shredded chicken breast, and that was just fine.
PattyCake says
Delish! Will make again.
Becky Hardin says
Thank you!!
Martha Medrano says
This recipe takes me back to memory lane when my mother used to make it for me. This dish is one of my favorite Mexican dishes, DELICIOUS.
Becky Hardin says
I’m glad I could help with that!!
Sylvia Jalomo says
Hi,
I’m looking forward to trying it this recipe. I’ve always been intimidated by the long list of ingredients to make mole.
I have a question about the peanut butter: I’ve noticed that many more than recipes have sugar in them. This may be wonder about the type of peanut butter to use. Do you use an all natural smooth peanut butter or do you use something like Jiff or Skippy?
Becky Hardin says
Whatever I have on hand is what I use!