Mole-Style Chicken Thighs

Deep, smoky, and impossibly rich. This weeknight mole gets its chocolate soul from our Cocoa Bone Broth, Dulce — no hours of toasting and grinding required. Just bold Latin flavor, tender chicken, and a sauce you'll want to eat with a spoon.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the chicken:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• Salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable or grapeseed oil

For the mole sauce:

• 1 sachet of our Cocoa Bone Broth, DULCE, dissolved in ¾ cup hot water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 dried ancho or guajillo chilies, toasted, seeded & soaked in hot water
• 1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter (optional, for creaminess)
• 1 tbsp raisins or chopped plantain (optional, for sweetness)
• 1–2 tbsp dark chocolate or cocoa nibs (optional, for extra richness)

To serve:

• Toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts
• Fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges
• Rice or warm tortillas

Instructions

1. Prep the broth: Dissolve 1 sachet of DULCE in ¾ cup hot water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
2. Sear the chicken: Pat the chicken thighs dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear skin-side down for 6–7 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook 4–5 more minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Build the base: Lower the heat to medium. In the same pot, sauté the onion for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic, cumin, and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Blend the mole: Drain the soaked chilies. In a blender, combine the chilies, crushed tomatoes, prepared DULCE broth, and any optional add-ins (nut butter, raisins, dark chocolate). Blend until completely smooth.
5. Simmer the sauce: Pour the blended mole into the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and season to taste.
6. Braise: Nestle the chicken thighs back in skin-side up. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
7. Reduce & coat: Remove the chicken and increase the heat. Simmer the mole uncovered for 5–10 minutes until slightly thickened. Return the chicken to the pot and spoon the sauce generously over each piece.
8. Serve: Plate hot, topped with toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro. Pair with rice or warm tortillas and a squeeze of lime.

✨ Tip: The mole sauce deepens overnight — make it a day ahead and just reheat the chicken in the sauce before serving.