Chicken Mole is one of my favorite Mexican chicken recipes, and I made this recipe with a short list of ingredients so it’d be easy enough to make anytime. It starts with the most flavorful, homemade chocolate mole sauce, then I just combine it with shredded chicken, and it’s ready in a little over 30 minutes. I use this mole chicken to make tacos, burritos, and more!
Mole recipes often take quite a bit of time, but I wanted something I could cook up on weeknights without sacrificing any flavor. Voila! This quick and easy recipe just combines a homemade mole with shredded chicken, which is something I almost always have in my fridge already. Rich and creamy chocolate adds a delicious sweetness to combat the spiciness of the peppers, making the perfect sauce!
What’s in this Mole Chicken Recipe?
- Onion + Garlic: Add a sweet and earthy flavor to the sauce.
- 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. This will make the sauce rich and spicy.
- Tomatoes with Green Chiles: Adds a pop of tomato flavor and more spice.
- Peanut Butter: Adds a rich, nutty flavor and thickens the sauce. Use smooth peanut butter.
- Chicken Broth: Helps thin the sauce to the proper consistency.
- Spices: Chili powder, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and garlic add depth of flavor to this dish.
- Chocolate: Helps to counteract the spiciness of the peppers. Use unsweetened chocolate.
- Chicken: I used a rotisserie chicken to make this super easy, but you can make your own shredded chicken.
Variations to Try
This is a great traditional mole recipe. However, there are many different types of mole sauces that all pair well with chicken.
- You can make mole verde (green mole) by using jalapeños in place of the chipotle chiles, tomatillos in place of the tomatoes with green chiles, using ground pumpkin seeds instead of peanut butter, and adding some cilantro.
- You can make mole Coloradito by adding a bit of brown sugar and some raisins to the sauce.
- You can make mole amarillo (yellow mole) by using yellow chiles, tomatillos, and cumin. This version does not have any chocolate.
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken mole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pot set over medium-low on the stove or in the microwave in 30-second increments until warmed through.
How to Freeze
Freeze chicken in mole sauce in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Notes and Tips
I highly recommend using a high-powered blender–it’s the best way to get a super smooth consistency when making this chicken mole sauce.
Top Reader Review
“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.” – Martha
Easy Chicken Mole Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 chipotle pepper chopped, from 1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 teaspoon adobo sauce from the chipotle pepper can
- 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chiles 1 can
- 4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 2 pounds shredded cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
For Serving
- White rice or tortillas
- Optional toppings: avocado, sour cream, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and/or fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place a pot over medium heat and add the oil.2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the onion and garlic, stirring often, for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.1 onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, and 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 low-sodium chicken broth, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ½ 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 pounds shredded cooked chicken
- Serve over rice or with warm tortillas. Top with optional toppings such as avocado, sour cream, chopped peanuts, lime wedges, and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!White rice, Optional toppings:
Notes
-
- Use rotisserie chicken or another pre-cooked option to make this recipe super quick and easy!
- A high-powered blender is the best way to get a super smooth consistency for your homemade mole sauce.
- Serve with your favorite toppings or sides to make easy burrito bowls.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
How to Make Chicken Mole Step by Step
Sauté the Aromatics: Place a pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Then add 1 chopped onion and 3 minced cloves of garlic, stirring often, for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add Sauce Ingredients: Add 1 chipotle pepper and 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce (don’t use the whole can), and 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. Stir to combine, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Blend the Mixture: Carefully pour the mixture into a high powered blender. Then add 4 tablespoons of smooth peanut butter, 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt, and 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Blend until everything is well combined into a smooth consistency.
Cook the Sauce: Return the mixture to the pot over medium heat. Cook to reduce for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Chocolate: Add 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (chopped) and stir until fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.
Add the Chicken: Lastly, stir in 2 pounds of shredded cooked chicken, fully coating in the mole sauce. Serve as desired!
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!
Yes! Mole is a great source of vitamin B, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and niacin.
This sauce is spicy, smoky, earthy, and sweet. It’s truly unique!
Nope! This dish has a wonderful balance of flavors, so much so that you don’t even taste the chocolate. It helps to enrich the sauce and deepen the color and flavor.
This mole sauce is filled with all kinds of peppers, so it is quite a spicy recipe.
No, not all types of mole contain chocolate.
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 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.
Delish! Will make again.
Thank you!!
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.
I’m glad I could help with that!!
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?
Whatever I have on hand is what I use!