Chicken mole
Seared chicken in a dark sauce of chili, toasted almonds and bitter chocolate. Makes 4.
- Hands-on
- 35 min
- Total time
70 min, show breakdown
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 45 min
- Clean up 10 min
- Pans
- 1
- Ingredients
- 17
- Cost/serving
- $3.71
Per serving
- Calories
- 554
- Protein
- 39 g
- Fiber
- 6.6 g
- Net carbs
- 47 g
- Fat
- 21 g
High in (% Daily Value per serving): Selenium 87%, Niacin (B3) 80%, Vitamin B6 66%, Vitamin E 41%, Thiamin (B1) 40%, Folate 40%, Riboflavin (B2) 39%, Vitamin B12 38%, Zinc 38%, Iron 37%, Magnesium 29%, Potassium 22%
Whole recipe (): . Full nutrition facts, vitamins and minerals. All nutrition is estimated; check your own labels.
Everything else is scaled from this.
Nutrition per serving is the whole batch divided by this.
Already dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, soy-free.
Ingredients for 4
Tap an ingredient for other units and forms.
You changed this recipe. Nutrition and cost include your changes. This combination hasn't been tested.
600 g chicken thighs, boneless skinless
Same amount as: 1.3 lb, about 5 thighs.
2 tbsp olive oil (27 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
3 tbsp almonds (27 g)
Same amount as: 45 mL.
1 tbsp sesame seeds (9 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
- 1 medium onion (110 g)
4 cloves garlic, smashed (12 g)
Same amount as: 4 tsp fresh minced garlic, 2 tsp jarred minced garlic, ½ tsp garlic powder.
2 tbsp chili powder (16 g)
Same amount as: 30 mL.
1 tsp ground cumin (2.1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
½ tsp ground cinnamon (1.3 g)
Same amount as: 2 mL.
1 tsp dried oregano (1 g)
Same amount as: 5 mL.
1 tbsp tomato paste (16 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL.
½ can canned crushed tomatoes (397 g)
Same amount as: about 1¾ cups.
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (240 g)
Same amount as: 240 mL.
- 2 squares dark chocolate, 85% cacao (20 g)
1 tbsp lime juice (15 g)
Same amount as: 15 mL, ½ lime squeezed from fresh limes.
¼ cup fresh cilantro (4 g)
Same amount as: 60 mL.
- salt, to taste
2 pouches cooked white rice (microwave pouch) (500 g)
Same amount as: about 3¼ cups.
Use the menu next to each ingredient to skip it, halve it or add more. Nutrition updates as you go. The main ingredient changes with servings instead.
Amount for everything you're cooking. Missing an ingredient? Ask for it.
Healthier swaps
Optional. Nutrition and cost update as you choose; the recipe was written with the original.
- cooked white rice (microwave pouch)
- cauliflower: Riced cauliflower has about 80% fewer carbs and calories, plus vitamin C.
- shirataki (konjac) rice: Konjac rice has almost no calories or carbs. Rinse it well.
Optional
Adds about 0 kcal per serving.
Quantities are for 4 servings. More than 600 g of chicken crowds a 30 cm pan; sear in rounds. The sauce tastes better the next day. Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well.
Nutrition Facts
4 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 plate (500 g raw)
| Nutrient | Per serving | % DV* | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 554 | ||
| Total fat | 21 g | 27% | |
| Saturated fat | 4.6 g | 23% | |
| Cholesterol | 142 mg | 47% | |
| Sodium | 913 mg | 40% | |
| Total carbohydrate | 54 g | 20% | |
| Dietary fiber | 6.6 g | 23% | |
| Total sugars | 7.6 g | ||
| Net carbs† | 47 g | ||
| Protein | 39 g | 77% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.15 mcg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 144 mg | 11% | |
| Iron | 6.7 mg | 37% | |
| Potassium | 1,018 mg | 22% | |
| Vitamin A | 97 mcg | 11% | |
| Vitamin C | 14 mg | 16% | |
| Vitamin E | 6.1 mg | 41% | |
| Vitamin K | 20 mcg | 17% | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.49 mg | 40% | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.51 mg | 39% | |
| Niacin (B3) | 13 mg | 80% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1.1 mg | 66% | |
| Folate | 160 mcg | 40% | |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.9 mcg | 38% | |
| Magnesium | 123 mg | 29% | |
| Zinc | 4.2 mg | 38% | |
| Selenium | 48 mcg | 87% |
Estimated, not verified. These numbers are calculated from typical ingredient data and haven't been checked against a lab or your brands. Check the labels of what you buy and confirm anything that matters to you, especially sodium, sugar and allergens.
* % Daily Value shows how much one serving adds to a 2,000-calorie day. † Net carbs is not on US labels; it is total carbs minus fiber, allulose, erythritol and half of other sugar alcohols. "To taste" amounts are counted as written. Counted items (eggs, cloves, spoons) use the rounded amount shown in the ingredient list. Vitamins and minerals are from raw ingredients; cooking lowers some, especially vitamin C and folate. How this is calculated.
Steps
Toast the almonds and sesame seeds in the dry pan on medium, shaking often, 3–4 minutes. Tip the sesame into a small bowl for the top; keep the almonds for the sauce.
Done looks like: Almonds a shade darker and smelling nutty. Sesame light gold, not brown. Dice the onion and slice the garlic. Pat the chicken dry and season with half the salt.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in the pan on medium-high. Sear the chicken smooth side down, without moving it, 5 minutes. Flip and sear 2 minutes more. Move to a plate. It finishes in the sauce.
Done looks like: Deep brown on the first side. Not cooked through yet. Turn the heat to medium. Add the rest of the oil and the onion and cook 6 minutes, scraping up the brown bits. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and oregano. Stir 45 seconds. Add the tomato paste and stir 1 minute more.
Done looks like: Paste turns from bright red to brick red and smells toasty. If the spices start to smoke, add a splash of broth at once. Add the tomatoes, broth and toasted almonds. Simmer 10 minutes. Carefully blend until completely smooth, then pour back into the pan.
Done looks like: Smooth and glossy, no bits of almond when you rub a drop between your fingers. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Put the chicken and its juices back in. Simmer gently, covered, 12–15 minutes.
Done looks like: Chicken reads 74 °C / 165 °F. Sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a line when you drag a finger through it. Balance it. Taste a spoonful of sauce on its own. Bitter or flat: a pinch of salt. Heavy: the lime juice. Too hot: a spoon of broth and 2 more minutes. Stop when no single flavor stands out.
Done looks like: You taste chili first, then chocolate, then a clean finish. Not like dessert. Heat the rice. Serve the chicken over it with plenty of sauce, the toasted sesame and torn cilantro.
Equipment
Large frying pan or skillet, 30 cm (12 in) $25–60
What to look for
- Wide flat base so food cooks in one layer
- Stainless steel or cast iron for high heat
Skip: Woks on flat electric stoves; they do not heat evenly there.
Blender $30–100
What to look for
- Handles frozen fruit without stalling
- Jar that is easy to take apart and rinse
Skip: Expensive high-speed blenders unless you blend every day. A personal blender works for one serving.
Silicone spatula $5–12
What to look for
- One-piece (no seam where the head meets the handle)
- Stiff enough to scrape, safe on non-stick
Skip: Wooden spatulas for non-stick pans; they work but do not scrape as cleanly.
Chef's knife, 20 cm (8 in) $15–50
What to look for
- Comfortable handle that does not slip when wet
- Blade you can sharpen, or a cheap one you replace every few years
Skip: Knife blocks with 12 knives. A chef's knife and a small paring knife cover almost everything.
Cutting board $10–30
What to look for
- At least 30 × 40 cm (12 × 16 in), so food stays on it
- Wood or plastic; plastic goes in the dishwasher
Skip: Glass or stone boards. They dull knives fast.
Instant-read digital thermometer $10–30
What to look for
- Reads in 5 seconds or less
- Thin probe tip
- Shows °C and °F
Skip: Dial thermometers that take 20+ seconds.
What goes wrong
| What | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sauce tastes bitter and burnt | Spices or tomato paste scorched, or almonds toasted too dark. | Keep the heat at medium for the spices and add broth the moment they smell sharp. Burnt spices can't be fixed; start the sauce again. |
| Tastes like chocolate chicken | Too much chocolate, or not enough salt and acid to hold it back. | Add salt and lime a little at a time. The chocolate should be a background note you can't quite name. |
| Grainy sauce | Not blended long enough, or chocolate added over high heat and seized. | Blend a full minute. Add the chocolate off the heat. |
Versions
| Version | Changes | Per serving |
|---|---|---|
| Original | As written. Hands-on 35 min, total 70 min. | 554 kcal 39 g protein 6.6 g fiber 47 g net carbs 21 g fat |
| Vegan | Firm tofu instead of chicken thighs, broth instead of broth. Also vegetarian. Hands-on 35 min, total 70 min. | 588 kcal 35 g protein 10 g fiber 48 g net carbs 28 g fat |
Notes
Allergies: removing an allergen from the recipe does not remove it from your kitchen or from other products. Check labels for "may contain" warnings.
Pregnancy: Cook chicken to at least 74 °C / 165 °F.