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This Instant Pot Chicken Mole turns traditional Mexican comfort food into a quick and easy dinner recipe! It’s a hearty, spicy meal that’s packed with authentic flavors.
Chicken mole is one of those dishes you order at a Mexican restaurant when you want to treat yourself to a comforting dish full of warm, cozy flavors. This Instant Pot recipe is an easy and convenient way to make delicious chicken mole at home! Everything cooks in no time inside your pressure cooker.
Tender shredded chicken is simmered in a fiery sauce made with garlic, chipotle pepper, chocolate, tomatoes, and more! You won’t believe how amazingly all the flavors come together. Next time you’re looking for a satisfying dinner that you don’t have to spend all day on, make this chicken mole.
What is Mole?
Mole is a spicy Mexican sauce that’s made with chiles and chocolate. It’s usually served over some kind of meat. Some mole sauce recipes have more than 30 ingredients! This version is a bit more manageable, but it’s still filled with traditional mole flavors.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this chicken mole recipe, you’ll need a mix of pantry staples and a few special ingredients to create its signature rich, smoky flavor. Below, I’ve broken down everything you’ll need with suggested substitutions, but don’t forget to check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements and details.
- Olive Oil: Used for sautéing the chicken and adding richness to the sauce.
- Yellow Onion & Fresh Garlic: Chopped and added to the sauce for flavor. Try to use fresh ingredients, but if you must, onion powder and garlic powder will also work.
- Diced Tomatoes: Canned tomatoes provide a tangy and sweet flavor. Drain before use.
- Dried Ancho Chile: Substitute with 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder if needed.
- Chipotle Pepper in Adobo Sauce: Adds smoky, spicy notes to the dish, with the adobo sauce enhancing the depth and richness of the flavors.
- Toasted Pepitas: These are a variety of pumpkin seeds that add nuttiness and body to the sauce.
- Raisins: The raisins contribute a subtle sweetness to balance the spiciness of the chiles.
- Bittersweet Chocolate: While chocolate is not always a must in every mole recipe (as there are many regional variations), it is commonly used in popular versions like mole poblano. You could also use 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder as a substitute.
- Salt: Seasons the sauce and chicken, and adjust to taste.
- Ground Cumin & Ground Cinnamon: To add warm flavor and a hint of spice to the sauce.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts or Thighs: Chicken thighs will be juicier and cook slightly longer.
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth: Used to deglaze the Instant Pot and thin the sauce.
- Lime Wedges: For a fresh, tangy kick when serving.
- Fresh Cilantro: Optional garnish for freshness and color.
- Crumbled Queso Fresco: Optional garnish for a creamy, salty topping.
Why Make Mole in the Instant Pot?
Making chicken mole in your Instant Pot will help you brown your chicken and sauté your sauce with ease. It makes for easy cleanup since everything is cooked in the same pot. It’s also an amazing way to get tender and juicy chicken that’s easy to shred. Using an Instant Pot significantly reduces the cooking time for this recipe.
How to Make Chicken Mole in the Instant Pot
Making this chicken recipe in the instant pot simplifies the process, delivering tender, flavorful chicken smothered in a rich, smoky sauce in a fraction of the time. Follow these easy steps to whip up this classic dish with all the flavor and none of the fuss.
- Blend the sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine olive oil, onion, garlic, tomatoes, ancho chile, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, toasted pepitas, raisins, chocolate, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
- Prepare the Instant Pot: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and brown the chicken on both sides (2–3 minutes per side). Work in batches if needed, adding more oil if necessary.
- Deglaze the Pot: Remove the chicken and pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Combine and cook: Return the chicken to the pot, pour the sauce over it, cover, and cook on HIGH pressure—8 minutes for chicken breasts or 10 minutes for thighs.
- Shred the chicken: Quick-release the pressure and check the chicken’s temperature (165˚F in the thickest part). If needed, cover and let it stand for 2–3 minutes. Remove, shred, and set aside.
- Thicken the sauce: Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE and simmer the sauce for 8–10 minutes, until thickened.
- Combine and serve: Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce and serve as desired!
Recipe Tips
- Brown the chicken in batches: Don’t try to shove all of your chicken breasts in the Instant Pot at once when you’re browning the chicken. Do it in batches to ensure everything cooks evenly. Also? You don’t have to brown the chicken at all; it’s an extra step that adds flavor and texture to the chicken breasts, but you can skip it.
- Release steam after pressure cooking: Don’t forget to do a quick release of the steam in your Instant Pot before removing the cover.
- Check internal temperature: To make sure your chicken is cooked to perfection, check its internal temperature with an instant read meat thermometer. The thickest area of your chicken should register at 165°F.
- Simmer the sauce until thickened: Wait until your mole sauce has thickened before you stir in your shredded chicken. The thickened sauce will coat the chicken easily!
Serving Suggestions
There are so many easy ways to serve chicken mole, whether you pile it into a cheesy quesadilla, tuck it into a taco, or enjoy it on its own. Similar to chicken birria tacos, chicken mole tacos hold a special place in my heart. It also makes an amazing nacho topping—don’t forget the crumbled queso fresco!
For a hearty option, spoon your spicy chicken mole over plain rice or try it with coconut lime cauliflower rice for a flavorful twist. To balance the spiciness, top your chicken mole with creamy avocado slices, a dollop of guacamole, or a swirl of sour cream. Simple and satisfying!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge. Store leftover chicken mole in an airtight container in the fridge. Your leftovers will stay good for up to 5 days.
- Freezer. If you have a lot of extra mole sauce, you can freeze some in a mason jar for later use! It’s a great add-in for tacos, enchiladas, and much more.
- Reheating. To reheat your chicken mole, it’s best to heat up the sauce and the chicken in separate skillets. Reheat them on the stove for 8-10 minutes each, pour the sauce over the chicken and enjoy!
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
- Instant Pot Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
- Instant Pot Lemon Butter Chicken
- Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas
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Instant Pot Chicken Mole
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 14.t ounces canned diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 dried Ancho chile, stems and seeds removed, or you can use 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
- 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- ¼ cup toasted pepitas
- ¼ cup raisins
- 1.5 ounces bittersweet (dark) chocolate, chopped (you can also use 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder instead of chocolate)
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or chicken thighs
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- lime wedges, for serving
- chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish, optional
- crumbled queso fresco, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Blend the sauce. To a food processor or blender, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, chopped onion, chopped garlic, tomatoes, ancho chile, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, toasted pepitas, raisins, chocolate, salt, cumin and cinnamon; process until smooth.
- Prep the Instant Pot. In the meantime, set your Instant Pot to SAUTE. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the Instant Pot to heat up.
- Brown the chicken. Add chicken to the hot oil and brown chicken on both sides; about 2 to 3 minutes per side. You will want to do this in batches. Add more oil if needed.
- Deglaze the pot. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and deglaze the pot with chicken broth, scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon.
- Combine and cook. Return the chicken to the Instant Pot. Pour the blended sauce over the chicken. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes. If using chicken thighs, cook on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.
- Release the pressure. Do a Quick Release. Use an instant-read thermometer to check for doneness; the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken should register at 165˚F. If not cooked through, just set the lid over the Instant Pot, cover, and let stand for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Shred the chicken. Open and remove the chicken; transfer it to a cutting board and shred it.
- Thicken the sauce. In the meantime, select the SAUTE function on the Instant Pot and bring the sauce to a simmer; let it simmer for 8 minutes, or until thickened.
- Finish and serve. Stir the shredded chicken back into the sauce and serve your chicken mole over rice, nachos, tacos, etc.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Can this be done in a slow cooker or on the stove? What adjustments? Thank you!