Quick and easy chicken mole with rich sauce, garnished with toasted almonds and orange peel, served on a colorful Mexican-style plate.

Quick and Easy Chicken Mole with Almonds and Orange Zest

Enjoy this rich, flavorful chicken mole with a hint of chocolate, spices, and a touch of citrus—ready in under 40 minutes!
Portions:4
Cooking Time:35 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 8 chicken thighs skinless, bone-in
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • Sea salt and ground black pepper to taste

Mole Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 ounce dried negro chiles stemmed, seeded, and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled and halved
  • 2 large fresh tomatoes pureed
  • 2 tablespoons raisins
  • 1 ½ ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • A pinch of ground cloves
  • 4 strips orange peel
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds toasted

Instructions

  • Preheat the Air Fryer to 380°F.
  • Toss the chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil, salt, and black pepper.
  • Cook the chicken thighs in the Air Fryer for 12 minutes; flip them and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Reserve.

  • To make the sauce, heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
  • Sauté the onion, chiles, and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
  • Add the pureed tomatoes, raisins, chocolate, oregano, cumin, coriander seeds, and cloves.
  • Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
  • Place the cooked chicken thighs in a baking pan.
  • Pour the mole sauce over the chicken and cook in the preheated Air Fryer at 360°F for 10 minutes or until thoroughly warmed.
  • Serve garnished with orange peel and toasted almond slices.
  • Enjoy!

Notes / Tips / Wine Advice:

Wine Advice
Pair this chicken mole with a light red wine like Grenache or a medium-bodied Syrah.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 453 kcal | Carbohydrates: 25.1 g | Protein: 47.5 g | Fat: 17.5 g | Sugar: 12.9 g
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Cuisine Mexican
Diets High-Protein