Home Chicken Dinners Chicken Mole Recipe
Becky Hardin
4.65 from 42 votes
Jump To Recipe Pin For Later
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!
What’s in this Chicken Mole Recipe?
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!
- 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.
Pro Tip: A high-powered blender is the best way to get a super smooth consistency for your homemade sauce.
Variations on Mole Chicken
This is a great traditional mole recipe. However, there are many different types of mole sauces.
- 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.
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Chicken Recipes.
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!
Is mole healthy to eat?
Yes! Mole is a great source of vitamin B, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc, and niacin.
What is mole supposed to taste like?
This sauce is spicy, smoky, earthy, and sweet. It’s truly unique!
Does chicken mole taste like chocolate?
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.
Is mole spicy?
This mole sauce is filled with all kinds of peppers, so it is quite a spicy recipe.
Does all mole have chocolate?
No, not all types of mole contain chocolate.
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.
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 mole in an airtight container or Ziplock bag for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
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 a 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 chicken tacos ever!
4.65 from 42 votes
Easy Chicken Mole Recipe
This easy 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 thanks to our homemade mole sauce.
Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Email This Recipe
Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Easy Chicken Recipes.
PrintRate Save
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.
Storage:Store easy chicken mole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Mole Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 448Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 12g
Cholesterol 113mg38%
Sodium 877mg38%
Potassium 735mg21%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 44g88%
Vitamin A 346IU7%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 72mg7%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Author: Becky Hardin
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Mexican
Did You Make This?We love seeing what you’ve made! Tag us on social media at@easychickenrecipesfor a chance to be featured.
More Mexican Chicken Recipes We Love
- Healthy Chicken Enchiladas
- Santa Fe Chicken
- Mexican Street Corn Grilled Chicken Salad
- Marinated Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Southwest Chicken Bake
- Baked Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls
More delish recipes
Mexican Chicken Soup
Chicken Tinga Recipe
Instant Pot Jerk Chicken Recipe
Blackened Chicken Recipe
Meet Becky Hardin
Becky Hardin founded Easy Chicken Recipes in 2018. She has been creating trusted, easy, and delicious recipes on the web since 2012. Becky is known for simple dinner ideas, delicious crockpot recipes, creative chicken meals, and so much more. We have built a team of recipe developers, testers, and writers that love to create trust chicken recipes for every family.
Reader Interactions
Leave a Review
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.Reply
- PattyCake says
Delish! Will make again.Reply
- Becky Hardin says
Thank you!!
Reply
- 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.Reply
- Becky Hardin says
I’m glad I could help with that!!
Reply
- 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?
Reply
- Becky Hardin says
Whatever I have on hand is what I use!
Reply
