These chicken mole tacos are made with chicken thighs tossed in an easy mole sauce and topped with your favorite fixings.
I love all the different varieties of tacos - from spicy shrimp tacos to crispy tofu tacos to carne asada tacos. There are just so many options.
When it comes to Mexican food, one of my favorite meals is chicken mole enchiladas. It has been a go-to meal for years.
However, for some reason I just never thought to make a taco version of it. That is until today. Let me be clear here, the mole sauce is the star of the show. You could toss it with veggies and it would be just as good.
And before you ask, no you don't have to simmer the sauce for days to get great flavor. I use some shortcuts including ground spices and almond butter that helps develop the flavor quickly.
So if you are wanting something different but super tasty, these chicken mole tacos should be at the top of the list.
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Ingredient Notes
- Veggies - the base for the mole sauce. You can omit the poblano peppers if you want a milder sauce.
- Spices - instead of using dried chilis, this is a shortcut and where most of the flavor comes from for the sauce.
- Chocolate - dark chocolate is what I use. You need it to offset the spice.
- Almond butter - the biggest shortcut to this recipe. Instead of taking the time to blanch, toast and puree some nuts, you just add some almond butter, which adds a slight nutty flavor.
- Chicken - I use chicken thighs as it remains juicy and has more flavor.
- Corn - some roasted corn adds some crunch and flavor that complements the mole sauce.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- I like the flavor of poblano peppers, but if you want a spicier pepper, jalapeños are a good substitute.
- Chicken stock is my go-to for sauce bases, but if you want it to be vegetarian, just sub vegetable stock.
- Dark chocolate is what I use in this recipe, but semi-sweet or Mexican chocolate works too. 1-2 tbsp of cocoa powder also works.
- I personally like the flavor of almond butter, but peanut butter is a great substitute. Or if you have nut allergies, try sunflower seed butter.
- I'm partial to chicken thighs, but chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken works.
- I like the flavor of the flour tortillas as there is already some corn in this dish, but you can use corn tortillas as well.
Step-by-Step Photos
First, prepare the mole sauce and set aside. Then broil the corn for about 10 minutes, rotating it every couple of minutes. Cut it off the cob and set aside.
Season the chicken and cook on medium-high heat in a skillet with some oil for 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Chop the chicken and toss in a bowl with 1 cup of mole sauce.
FAQs
Mole sauce originated in Mexico and comes in several variations of rich sauces that come in colors like yellow, red, black and even green. However, in general, they contain a combination of nuts, fruits, chilis and chocolate.
A properly done mole takes hours, sometimes even days to make. As I mentioned earlier, this mole isn't "traditional" per se, but is packed with flavor.
Chocolate is meant to counteract the heat of the spices and peppers in the mole sauce recipe. It also helps reinforce the dark, rich color of the sauce.
If you're simply making tacos, corn tortillas are usually the way to go as it helps bolster the overall flavor. In fact, if you are eating tacos in Mexico, you probably won't even have an option of corn or flour tortillas.
However since I added corn to the mixture, I decided to go with flour tortillas to mix it up. Just make sure you buy the smaller ones that are 6".
Leftovers will last in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or 3 months in a freezer.
Side Dish Options
Tacos are great on their own but you can also add a side or additional toppings. Some options include:
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- You control the level of heat with the mole sauce based off the spices. If you want it spicier, add more chili powder. If you want it milder, remove the poblano pepper.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- If you don't want to cook chicken, just use 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.
Other Taco Recipes
If you’ve tried these chicken mole tacos or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Chicken Mole Tacos
Ingredients
Mole Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup white onion, chopped
- ½ poblano pepper, diced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ½ tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
- 3 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ tsp sea salt
Tacos
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt and black pepper
- 4 ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups)
- ½ red onion, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- ½ cup feta cheese
- 2 avocado, diced
- 2 limes, sliced into wedges
- 12 flour tortillas
Instructions
Mole Sauce
- Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, poblano pepper, oregano, cumin and cinnamon and cook for about 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
- With about 1 minute left, add garlic and combine. Mix in chili powder and flour and stir for about 2 minutes until combined. Gradually add chicken stock, whisking constantly and scraping up bits on bottom of pan. Bring to boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and use immersion blender to puree until smooth.
- Return saucepan to medium-high heat and stir in the chocolate, almond butter, tomato paste and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Adjust for salt if needed. Serve warm.
Tacos
- Heat large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Dice chicken into cubes and toss 1 cup of the mole sauce with it in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place rack 6 inches from top of oven and turn broiler on. Butter the corn and broil for 10 minutes, turning the corn every couple of minutes until charred. Cut the corn off the cob.
- For tortillas, heat small skillet over medium heat and cook for 30 seconds on both side. Serve the mole chicken with some corn and additional toppings.
Notes
- You control the level of heat with the mole sauce based off the spices. If you want it spicier, add more chili powder. If you want it milder, remove the poblano pepper.
- You know the chicken is cooked when it reaches 165°F with an instant-read thermometer or if you cut into the chicken and the juices run clear and there is no pink. Honestly, I always just cut the chicken to see when it is done. If it isn’t just cook slightly longer.
- If you don't want to cook chicken, just use 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Leftovers will last in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or 3 months in a freezer.
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