Why This Recipe Works

Dump-and-Forget: Ten minutes of prep, then the slow cooker melds chiles, chocolate, tomatoes, and spices into the silkiest mole.
Pantry-Friendly: No hard-to-find Mexican chocolate tablets—cocoa powder and a touch of dark chocolate chips do the trick.
One-Pot Rice: Jasmine rice steams right in the fragrant sauce for a complete dinner.
Family-Approved: Mild heat, subtle sweetness, and a nutty sesame finish win over picky eaters.
Meal-Prep Champion: Tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully.
Restaurant Flair, Home Ease: Toasted sesame seeds add crunch and visual drama without extra work.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great mole starts with everyday staples elevated by a few powerhouse flavor boosters. Shop smart and the slow cooker will reward you tenfold.

Chicken: Boneless, skinless thighs stay juicy after a long braise. If you prefer breasts, cut them into 1½-inch chunks so they don’t dry out. Organic, air-chilled chicken has the cleanest flavor.

Dried Chiles: Ancho and pasilla give classic mole depth without blow-your-head-off heat. Look for pliable, fragrant pods in the Hispanic aisle or Latin markets. Swap in 1 tsp ancho powder per chile if you’re in a pinch.

Cocoa & Chocolate: Unsweetened cocoa powder lays the base; a small handful of bittersweet chocolate chips melts in at the end for glossy richness. Choose 60–70 % cacao for the best balance.

Peanut Butter: Sounds odd, but a spoonful thickens the sauce and amplifies nuttiness. Natural, no-sugar-added works best. Sunflower-seed butter keeps it allergy-friendly.

Crushed Tomatoes: One can provides body and bright acidity. Fire-roasted adds subtle smokiness. Pass the tomatoes through a sieve if you want an ultra-silky finish.

Dried Fruit: Raisins or prunes supply sweetness to counter the bitter chiles and cocoa. Golden raisins blend invisibly; prunes lend a deeper molasses note.

Jasmine Rice: Its floral aroma plays beautifully with mole spices. Rinse until the water runs clear for fluffy grains. Basmatia or long-grain white rice work too—just adjust liquid.

Toasted Sesame Seeds: Buy them pre-toasted or toast raw seeds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes until golden. Store extra in the freezer for freshness.

How to Make Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Mole With Sesame Seeds And Rice Dinner

Toast & Soften the Chiles

Heat a skillet over medium. Tear the stems off 3 ancho and 2 pasilla chiles; shake out most seeds. Press the chiles flat on the hot skillet for 15 seconds per side until fragrant and blistered. Transfer to a bowl, cover with 2 cups very hot tap water, and soak 15 minutes. This wakes up their oils and removes any dusty bitterness.

Blend the Mole Base

Drain the chiles, reserving ½ cup soaking liquid. Add chiles to a blender along with 1 cup crushed tomatoes, ¼ cup raisins, 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter, 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, 1 Tbchipotle in adobo, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp black pepper, and the reserved liquid. Blitz on high for a full minute until velvety. A high-speed blender eliminates the need to strain.

Load the Slow Cooker

Scatter 1½ lb chicken thighs in the crock. Season with 1 tsp kosher salt. Pour the mole puree over top. Add ½ cup additional tomato and ¼ cup chicken broth—just enough to keep things saucy without drowning the chicken. Stir so every piece is coated.

Low & Slow Magic

Cover and cook on LOW 5–6 hours or HIGH 3 hours. The chicken should shred with a fork but still hold shape. If your slow cooker runs hot, check at 4½ hours on LOW.

Shred & Enrich

Remove chicken to a bowl; shred into bite-size strips. Skim excess fat from the sauce if desired. Stir 2 oz bittersweet chocolate chips into the hot mole until melted and glossy. Return shredded chicken plus any juices to the pot.

Cook the Rice Right in the Sauce

Increase slow cooker to HIGH. Stir in 1 cup rinsed jasmine rice, 1 cup extra broth, and ½ tsp salt. Cover and cook 20–25 minutes until rice is tender and has absorbed most of the sauce. Avoid lifting the lid too often—steam escapes and rice turns gummy.

Finish with Sesame

Fold in half of the toasted sesame seeds. Taste and adjust salt. Let rest 5 minutes so rice can absorb any remaining liquid. Serve in shallow bowls, showered with the remaining sesame seeds, cilantro leaves, and a squeeze of lime.

Expert Tips

Temperature Check

Chicken thighs are perfectly shreddable at 195 °F. Use an instant-read thermometer if you’re unsure; once there, switch to warm to prevent drying.

Thin or Thick?

Prefer spoon-coating sauce? Reduce rice to ¾ cup. Want it soupier for tortillas? Add ½ cup broth after rice cooks.

Spice Level

Removing the seeds from chiles tames heat. For a kid-friendly version, replace chipotle with ½ tsp smoked paprika.

Busy-Day Shortcut

Soak and blend the mole the night before; refrigerate in jar. Morning-of, pour over chicken and hit start.

Vegan Flip

Swap chicken for 2 cans black beans; reduce broth by ¼ cup. Finish with roasted pepitas instead of sesame.

Restaurant Garnish

Drizzle Mexican crema in a zig-zag, scatter pomegranate seeds, and add thin radish slices for color contrast.

Variations to Try

Almond Mole: Replace peanut butter with equal amount of almond butter and add ½ tsp almond extract.
Coffee Kick: Substitute ¼ cup of the broth with strong brewed coffee for deeper complexity.
Green Mole Twist: Swap dried chiles for 1 cup tomatillos and 1 poblano; use white beans instead of rice.
Coconut Comfort: Replace ½ cup broth with canned coconut milk for a tropical, silky finish.
Quinoa Power: Use ¾ cup quinoa instead of rice; cook only 15 minutes on HIGH.

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Cool completely and store in airtight containers up to 4 days. The rice will continue to absorb sauce, so splash in broth when reheating.

Freeze: Portion into freezer bags, press out air, and freeze flat up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, then rewarm gently with ¼ cup broth on the stovetop or microwave at 70 % power.

Make-Ahead Mole Sauce: Double the sauce ingredients and freeze half. On a busy week, thaw, add to slow cooker with fresh chicken, and proceed as directed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes—bone-in thighs add extra gelatin and richness. Increase cook time by 1 hour on LOW; remove skin first to avoid greasiness. Shred meat off bones before adding rice.

Overcooking or too much liquid is the culprit. Next time, rinse rice thoroughly, use exact measurements, and set a timer. If already mushy, transform into a creamy casserole by stirring in cheese and baking 10 minutes.

Yes, as written. Just double-check that your chocolate chips and broth are certified gluten-free. Serve with corn tortillas instead of flour for a fully GF meal.

Absolutely—use a 7- or 8-quart slow cooker. Keep rice quantity the same initially; you can always stir in more cooked rice at the end to stretch servings.

This version is mild-medium—warm enough for flavor, gentle enough for kids. Removing chile seeds and using only 1 chipotle keeps Scoville units low. Add cayenne or chipotle to taste for fire-seekers.

Keep it simple: lime-cilantro slaw, charred zucchini, or warm corn tortillas. A crisp Mexican lager or horchata rounds out the feast.

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Mole With Sesame Seeds And Rice Dinner

Why This Recipe Works

Ingredients You'll Need