When I think about FLAVOR—dance-on-your-tongue, wow-your-mouth, never-let-it-end FLAVOR—few dishes capture the experience more completely than Instant Pot Chicken Mole.
Rich, complex, and lightly smoky, mole sauce is traditional in Mexican cooking and can transform even the most basic ingredient (shredded chicken, I am looking at you) into something extraordinary.
Real-deal authentic chicken mole sauce takes days and 20+ ingredients to make. It’s a treat to devour (I love ordering it when we go out for Mexican food) and something I hope to cook the old-school way someday. Anyone want to spend a day sipping a Skinny Margarita or two and teaching me?
Since most nights I hardly have an hour (let alone days) to make dinner, I set out to see if I could create an easy chicken mole recipe that delivers the complex, bewitching flavor that makes mole so characteristically spell binding, but in a fraction of the time with one-third of the ingredients.
No biggie right?
Where Mexican food is on the line, I will not be deterred. Say hello to Instant Pot Chicken Mole!
A Less Authentic, Equally Delicious Easy Chicken Mole Recipe
Let’s be clear: this is a cheater, streamlined, easy chicken mole recipe. It might not be 100% traditionalist approved—or even 80%—but it is unquestionably delicious and maintains the slightly sweet, smoky, and seductive flavor of authentic chicken mole.
My two shortcut secrets: the Instant Pot (this is the model I own and love) and an essentials-only ingredient list.
Why Use an Instant Pot for Chicken Mole?
Ever since I started cooking these Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos, the pressure cooker has become my favorite way to make shredded chicken (this Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken included), along with other favorite Mexican recipes like this Instant Pot Mexican Casserole.
The chicken comes out perfectly tender and juicy, it’s easy to shred on the spot, and you only have one pot to wash in the end.
The nature of mole sauce itself also makes it a prime pressure cooker candidate. The Instant Pot concentrates the sauce’s flavors more rapidly, speeding up the cooking process. The fact that the chicken cooks in the Instant Pot at the same time as the sauce saves an extra step too!
What Are the Ingredients in Mole Sauce?
I kept the essentials, the ones mole sauce wouldn’t taste complete without—nuts, raisins, cinnamon, cumin, and chocolate (yes, chocolate! It’s the secret to mole’s inexplicably deep flavor)—then combined them with a few “super” ingredients that have a whopping amount of flavor on their own.
The most important of the super ingredients is canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I’m hooked on these rich, smoky peppers and often use them to impart mega flavor with minimal effort. Many mole sauce recipes call for a blend of three or four different peppers. For today, I’m quite happy to stick with my one-ingredient wonder.
You can find chipotle peppers in the Hispanic aisle of most grocery stores and even online. You’ll have a few peppers left over in the can, which you can enjoy in any one of these recipes.
How to Make Easy Chicken Mole
- Arrange the chicken in the Instant Pot.
- Place the sauce ingredients into a blender, process until smooth, then pour the whole shebang right over the chicken. Note: It will smell amazing.
- Cook the chicken for a short and sweet 8 minutes of pressure. It will be incredibly moist and tender and soak up the wonderful flavors of the sauce. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- Reduce the sauce right in the Instant Pot on the saute setting. (Be careful! It splatters.) Shred the chicken.
- Add the chicken back into the sauce, stir, and ta-da! Seriously legit-tasting shredded chicken mole you can use any way you like.
If you’d like to make chicken mole in the slow cooker, this isn’t something I’ve tried myself, but I did add suggestions to the recipe notes. If anyone does make slow cooker chicken mole, please let me know how it goes.
How to Serve This Instant Pot Chicken Mole
- The majority of the time, we use the Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Mole to make always-satisfying mole chicken tacos. My favorite toppings are feta or queso fresco and cilantro.
- It would be equally tasty as a filling for enchiladas or quesadillas.
- Mix with brown rice and black beans to create your own mole chicken “bowl.”
- Sprinkle it over tortilla chips, add cheese, chopped red onion, or any of your other favorite fixins, then pop it into the oven for a few minutes for mole chicken nachos.
- Devour directly out of the Instant Pot (this happens a lot here too).
If you are into Mexican food, bold flavors, and any excuse to open a bag of chips, this easy Instant Pot Chicken Mole will be a sure hit in your house! If you decide to try it, be sure to leave a comment. It makes me so happy to hear from you.
Instant Pot Chicken Mole
Ingredients
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce NOT two cans, just 2 peppers
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers
- 1/4 cup toasted pepitas or toasted sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
FOR SERVING:
- Prepared brown rice or tortillas whole wheat or corn
- Your favorite toppings: freshly chopped cilantro, avocado, sliced radishes, chopped almonds or pepitas, cheese, etc!
Instructions
- Set a 6-quart or larger Instant Pot or similar electric pressure cooker to SAUTE. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and sauté until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn off the Instant Pot and scrape the onion and garlic into a blender. Return the insert to the pot and set back to SAUTE. Add a few splashes of water, scrape up any browned bits, and discard them. You want the bottom of the Instant Pot to be fairly clean so that it does not burn. Turn off the Instant Pot.
- To the blender with the onions, add the tomatoes, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, pepitas, raisins, cocoa powder, salt, cumin, and cinnamon. Blend until smooth.
- Lightly coat the Instant Pot with nonstick spray and place the chicken in the Instant Pot. Pour the sauce over the top and do not stir. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on HIGH pressure for 8 minutes (for chicken breasts) or 10 minutes (for chicken thighs). Vent immediately.
- Remove the chicken to a plate. Turn the Instant Pot to SAUTE and bring the sauce to a simmer. Let bubble, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is rich and thick, about 10 minutes. Place a layer of paper towels over the top as the sauce cooks to catch any splatters. While the sauce cooks, shred the chicken with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot and toss with the thickened sauce. Enjoy with any desired toppings over rice, as a filling for tacos or quesadillas, over nachos, or right out of the Instant Pot with a fork.
Video
Notes
- To make in a slow cooker: I have not tried this method myself, but if you'd like to adapt the recipe for the crock pot, here's what I would recommend. Saute the onions and garlic in a skillet instead of the Instant Pot and proceed with the rest of step 1 and 2 to make the sauce. Place the chicken and sauce in the slow cooker as directed in step 3 and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low. After the chicken is cooked, transfer the sauce to a saucepan to reduce.
Nutrition
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Can you make this in a Crock-Pot if you don’t have an Instant Pot?
Hi Arely, yes, I think you could try it in the crock pot! I would saute the onions on the stovetop before adding them to the crock pot and then reduce the sauce in a saucepan on the stove after the chicken is cooked. I would guess the chicken would take 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low. If you give it a try, I’d love to know how it goes!
I’ve always wanted to try mole sauce and this sounds wonderful. However, I don’t have an instant pot – any suggestions on maybe an alternate method of cooking this recipe ? Thanks so much…
Hi Chris, I’ve been getting that question a lot, so I’ve added my best guess on how to adapt this recipe to the slow cooker in the recipe notes below the directions. I hope that helps!
I just fell in love. Mole is one of my all time favorite sauces, and when I read Instant Pot I can’t even explain my excitement. How have I never thought of this? I absolutely cannot wait to make this.
BTW, I love your site. You have some great recipes and it’s so easy to navigate!
I hope you enjoy it if you give it a try, Danielle! Thank you SO MUCH for your kind words about my recipes and my website! :)
thank you for this and thank you for confirming that it should work in a crock pot since I have that instead, but a wonderful idea to use either one for making mole rather than the tedious traditional recipe
Instant Pot tacos are a major game-changer!
We had to double the time in the Instant Pot. We did add about a half a pound more chicken thighs, but when we opened initially they were still raw visibly on the outside. The recipe came out great though, and reheating them throughout the week has been awesome. Haven’t had to add any liquid to keep it from drying out either!
Lindsey, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to give it a try and leave your review!
I also had to increase the cooking time, but other than that, the recipe was very good! I’m making it again tonight!
Thanks for chiming in, Kate! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
So so so good- mole in under an hour! Another delicious recipe!
Thanks so much for taking the time to make it and leave a review, Jordan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Our family loved this chicken mole! Easy to add more or less spice to taste. Served with hot sauce on the table for those that wanted extra kick.
Hooray! Thank you so much for taking the time to report back, Erin. I’m so glad it was a hit!
I made this but my Instant Pot showed BURN right before it came up to pressure. I got all the browned bits off the bottom. We ended up just slow cooking it. Any thoughts?
Hi Fletcher! I’m sorry this happened. Did anything stick and burn to the pot while it was cooking? If this happens, I usually recommend checking the pot to remove anything that is sticking and adding a little more liquid (you could do chicken stock for this recipe and cook the sauce longer at the end to thicken it back up). You can sometimes reseal the pot and continue cooking as long as the burn warning goes away. I’d also suggest reading online to see if you can find more suggestions—since I wasn’t there, it’s hard for me to pin point an exact cause!
Erin! Thanks for the response! The sauce seems pretty thick already before we put it back in the Instant Pot. We got all the bits off the bottom as it said in the recipe. We will try adding some more liquid next time. The family ate it tonight on tacos…SO GOOD!
Fletcher, I am glad the flavors were spot on for you! Thanks for letting me know how much you enjoyed it!
Just made this recipe. It tastes great!
The instapot also displayed BURN for me too. I didn’t sauté the onions and garlic in the instapot. When I checked the pot, the chicken charred where it was directly touching the bottom of the pan with no sauce. I would just stir it next time to prevent this even though the recipe says “do not stir.”
Daniel, I’m so happy you loved the flavor! I do find that if you make Instant Pot recipes when the sauce is very thick, that can actually cause a burn warning too. If you like, you could also pour in a little water before adding the chicken, then reduce the sauce further. I hope that helps!
Just got finished cooking this and it’s delicious!!!!!
YAY JULIE! Thanks for trying it and letting me know!
Looks great! I’ve always wanted to make mole sauce, but the recipes are so intimidating.
Is it possible to make the sauce without the chicken? How long would it cook in the instant pot?
Kim, I’m actually not sure as I’ve never tried. In that case, I would recommend cooking it on the stove top.
I made this recipe . I used Chicken Breasts which I cooked for 8 minutes. The chicken was not cooked so now cooking an additional 4 minutes. Hoping this will do the trick!
I hope you enjoy, Melissa!
Hi, I am from the UK, we do not have fire-roasted diced tomatoes and I am not familiar with these, would normal tinned chopped tomatoes do the same job? Also we do not have chipotles in adobo sauce. I can get hold of this: https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/product/Santa-Maria-Chipotle-Paste/372182011?from=search¶m=chipotle
Thank you.
Hi Sam, yes, you could try the recipe with regular diced/chopped tomatoes if you’re not able to find fire roasted. And yes, that chipotle paste looks like it would bring a similar flavor to the dish! I hope you enjoy.
Sam, I am a US gal living in London and you can get the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Mestizo Market Store (also online) and the American Store in Notting Hill (both based in London) sell them in their shops, and MexGrocer has them and ships all over the UK.
I keep reading more and more recipes that use a pressure cooker. Will definitely have to purchase one to replace our old one from years ago that we got rid of because of not being able to find a replacement seal. This recipe of yours sounds really good. We do have a crock pot and I think that I will make it in that. I have eaten mole but have never made it so your recipe will be the first. Thanks!
Hi Erin,
I’m excited to try your recipe but I’ve had a jar of mole sauce in the cabinet for a while and figure I should use that first. It’s Do~na Maria Mole 8.25 oz. Wow, I just read the ingredients a lot of non-food ingredients and 170 cal 13 gm of fat for only 2 Tbs. Holy cow, I should probably just throw it out. It does have PB in it and GMO soybean oil (made in Mexico). I thought Mex outlawed GMOs.
Can I add PB to your recipe? I understand some people are allergic to PB so maybe that’s why you didn’t add it.
Hi Janet, I’ve only tested the recipe as is, but you are certainly welcome to experiment with stirring in a little peanut butter. If you do decide to give it a try, I’d love to know how it comes out.
Can you tell me what brand/model instant pot you have?
Hi Nancy! I have the 6-quart Instant Pot DUO. I hope you enjoy this recipe if you give it a try!
SO. MUCH. FLAVOR. I neeeed it!
I need to make these! They look awesome!
Your recipe was delicious. It was the best and easiest to make chicken mole sauce I’ve made at home so far.
I’m so happy to hear that, Hillary! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this review too.
Boy, this sauce was delicious and the IP made this mole so quick and easy to make!
Thanks for taking the time to report back, Liz! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it!
These are on my list, looks so easy!
Hi Abigail, you can use whatever large nonstick skillet you have. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
So. Awesome. Good. !!!
Oh this looks sooo good! I might have all the ingredients to make this for lunch today, thank you!
I really loved it! Such an amazing meal for weeknights!
This recipe cook all of the hard work out of making mole. This recipe is so going into rotation!
Excellent recipe- yum!
Thanks so much, Lori!
A perfect mole recipe to frequent. Made this for a small gathering and it got raving reviews. So SOOOO good.
I’ve never eaten mole before, so I was curious to try this recipe. I like it so much I’ve now made it twice, and I shared the recipe with several friends. It’s a real winner and very versatile. I was afraid the peppers would be too hot for me, so I used only one instead of two. I was right! One pepper in the recipe is plenty for me. So if you don’t care for spicy foods, try it with one pepper instead of two the first time you make the recipe.
Thanks for taking the time to leave this review, Karen! I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe!
My friend just gave me an Instant Pot and I stumbled across this recipe which is perfect because of my love for chicken mole and mexican food in general. It was the first recipe I tried in the IP and despite a small snafu due to not really understanding how the IP works, it was incredible and I’m obsessed and can’t wait to cook this more and show off to everyone I know!
Hooray! I’m glad you enjoyed this, Becca. I hope you find many more Instant Pot favorites!
Hi Erin,
Have a dumb question. Can you cook frozen chicken in an instant pot? I have a bunch of seasoned thighs in the freezer that I couldn’t use right away. Thanks Erin
You can Janet! I’m not sure if your thighs are boneless or not—bone-in thighs will need about 15 minutes of high pressure with 10 minutes of natural release; Boneless will cook in 12 to 13 minutes with about 5 minutes of natural release. Check the internal temp to make sure they near 165F (as long as they are above 160, I find that once I let them rest, they hit 165). If your chicken is underdone, just reseal the pot and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. I’d love to hear how it goes!
This recipe was super tasty! I doubled the recipe for 7 people and still had enough for leftovers to feed probably 3 more. I used 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I put them on top of the rack in the instant pot because I read some comments about the chicken burning or sticking to the pot. I also added about 1/2 cup chicken broth to the bottom, before putting the chicken on the rack. I then covered the chicken with the mole sauce and cooked it for 15 min at high pressure (also because I read some comments that 8 min wasn’t enough to cook the chicken all the way thru), and allowed it to naturally release for 10 min. The chicken was cooked, tender and easy to shred. I served it with guacamole, cotija cheese, cilantro, and black beans. This recipe will be repeated at our house, everyone liked it a lot!
WHOO HOO Marci! So happy to hear how much you enjoyed it. Thanks for taking time to leave this lovely review!
We’ve made this like 6 times now in the last month. So good. The first time I licked all the leftover sauce off the sides of the pot. Like the previous poster, I usually put a little extra liquid (~ 1/2 inch water for me) in the bottom to prevent the “Burn” notice (and/or if cutting chicken off the bone, just layer the bones on the bottom to serve as a rack and add extra flavor), and I blend the sauce with an immersion blender in a measuring cup to save on cleaning a big blender. The recipe doubles well too. Used it for tacos (with some sliced avocado, crumbled queso fresco, and cilantro), enchiladas the next day (here is where it may be helpful to increase sauce proportions so you have some extra sauce), and chilaquiles later in the week with an egg on top. 10 minutes was fine for deboned chicken thighs. Thanks for the life-changing recipe!
Thanks for sharing your tips and this wonderful review! I’m happy to hear you enjoyed it!
I am new to instant pot this was the 2nd dish I tried to make and it is the 2nd time I got a burn error message. I followed directions even weighed and measured everything. I even washed the pot after Saute. any recommendations on what could be wrong? the sauce was delish! and there was no evidence of anything stuck or burnt at the bottom of the pot. chicken was a little dry for me but again overall great dish full of flavor.
UGH, Sandy I am so sorry this happened! The new IP models are so so sensitive and trigger the burn warning super easily. It’s been frustrating for others, and I’m frustrated too as I’ve never had this issue with any recipe on my site. The best option if nothing is stuck and you see “burn” is to add more liquid. If the sauce ends up more liquidy than you would like, you can always cook it down on the stove or using the saute function. You could also add a cornstarch slurry. I’m sorry again for the issues!
I usually have all the ingredients on hand for this except the pepitas, so I add a little toasted sesame oil for the nut taste when I make mole.
That’s a great tip, Rob! I hope you enjoy!
Delicious if you get the cooking time right. For me, it was 20 minutes, and the chicken was not overcooked at all.
Nick, I am so pleased to hear this (and I can’t say thanks enough for the glowing review!). I also appreciate the tip on the cook time. Enjoy!
Excellent
Laura, I’m so so happy to hear how much you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing! It means a lot.
Another delicious recipe Erin! I love it! I made this last night for my family and we love it! I am Mexican American and let me say that Mole is one of my favorite foods. I traditionally use the “Mole en Vaso” with a few additions but had never attempted to make it myself from scratch as it is intimidating but you once again made it so simple! I just got off the phone with my mom and shared the recipe lol I did make a couple of additions, I had two Ancho chiles left so I softened them with the onions and garlic and then I also added Red Pepper flakes to give it more of a spice and I paired it with some Mexican Rice. I am in love with yet another one of your recipes!
Thanks for sharing this review, Jeanette! I’m glad it was a hit!
This was super easy and soooo tasty. I am so glad I made extra. I will freeze some and use it to add another layer of flavor to my tortilla soup.
Great idea, Marci! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Curious how spicy this is? I want to make for my family but my baby can’t tolerate ANY heat. I don’t want to mess up the balance of flavors, though!
Hi Alexandra! This dish is somewhat spicy if made as directed. If you want to try it, I recommend only using one pepper instead of two. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
how many servings for this recipe?
Hi Judy! This recipe will yield about 4-6 servings. I hope this helps!
Excelente! I doubled the batch. I only pressure cooked for 7 min even with the double batch. . Then I slow cooked it for a couple of hours. Even better the second day!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Keith! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This was ok for a quick dinner, but honestly way too much cinnamon. The point of mole is layers of flavors. We like cinnamon, but this was way too much. We used thighs as they seem to do better in the IP. The chicken was tender, but it was requested to not make this again.
Hi Taz, I’m sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy the flavor of this dish. I (and other readers) have really enjoyed it, so I wish it would’ve been a hit for you too!
My family absolutely loves this recipe. It has become a regular in our meal planning Rotation. Soooo yummy!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Marci! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
If you want to learn how to make authentic Molé sauce, Rick Bayless has several cookbooks to choose from. I know for sure you can find a recipe for it in his “Mexico One Plate At A Time” cookbook. Mole is a commitment to make but worth it.
Thanks for sharing this helpful tip, Kari!
Wow that was good. I did add an extra Chipotle peeper because they looked small and I’ve never used them. That was a mistake. It was too spicy for the kids. Next time I may just add one pepper but for me I liked the heat of 3 peppers. This is definitely a keeper for me.
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
Can you prep and freeze.
Pao, this is certainly freezer friendly! I’d cook the recipe completely, let it cool, then portion it into containers of your desired size and freeze. Let thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat with a bit of broth if the sauce needs a little thinning. I hope you enjoy it!
Easy and tasty recipe! I added about 1/4 cup of water to the sauce. I didn’t have any issues with the burn warning. I used chicken thighs and they were cooked through with 10 min at high pressure. I think I will try cooking it longer next time just to make the meat even softer for easier shredding. I think you can skip reducing the sauce if you’re lazy, but if you do, I would reduce it in a regular pan with a lid.
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Linda! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review and your helpful tip!
I made this over the summer & it was AMAZING! The hubby doesn’t care for mole’. I LOVE IT! My son is starting to acquire a taste for it finally, the only problem I had was that it was still too spicy with only adding 1 pepper. I did share some with a heat loving family member & she thought it was perfect. I am wanting to make it again for a family gathering & was hoping that someone could tell me the mildest brand of chipotle’s in adobo sauce. If memory serves me right I think I used La Costena brand. I may just double the batch & use only 1 pepper. Any suggestions?
Hi LJ! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe! I believe both La Costena and Goya have a more mild option that may be less spicy. You could also try your thought of doubling the recipe and using only one pepper. I hope this helps!
Hi Erin,
Just wanted to give you an update: Since c happened we never had the family get together & mole’ got put on the back burner until tonight. First, I forgot to mention last time that I had always been told by Hispanic friends that mole’ must have both chocolate & peanut butter So I have added 2 Tbsp to the recipe each time & it is divine. Second, the store I went to only had the jar of La Costena chipotles so I bought those instead of the can. Since I wouldn’t need to double the recipe I just decided to take it down to 1/2 a pepper which is 1/2 Tbsp. It is perfect we made it around 8:30pm tonight. We realized after we blended everything that we forgot to saute’ the onion & garlic, but since we cook ours for 24 minutes it didn’t seem to make a difference. We can’t wait until dinner time tomorrow night! The hubby who hates mole’ even got up to see what we were cooking because it smelled so good. Of course once he figured out what it was he grumbled & went back to bed….HAHAHA, his loss!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, LJ! Thank you for reporting back!
I was craving mole and while looking for a recipe, I didn’t have a few of the items in most of them but I found I had everything for this recipe except an onion (I had a good sized shallot though). I also don’t have an Insta pot. Here’s what I did different for a quick dinner for just the two of us. I used half of a Costco roasted chicken, skin removed.
I sautéed the onion and garlic as directed, then followed the recipe by adding all ingredients to the blender. I used Mexican chocolate instead of cocoa powder and I also added two rehydrated ancho/pasillo chilis (I poured boiling hot water over them and let them get soft for about 15 min, then removed the stem and seeds and added to the blender). I added 1 street taco sized corn tortilla and about 1 cup of chicken broth to loosen up the sauce a little.
I then shredded my chicken and added to the saute pan along with the mole and heated it until it was hot. OMG! So good. Of course, the flavors aren’t as complex as most moles but this was darn good. Will make again if I need a quick mole!! Thanks
Thank you for sharing this kind review and your adaptations, John! I’m so happy the recipe was a hit!
I am obsessed with mole and this sauce was surprisingly easy AND delicious. It was so good I neglected the last step in the recipe but that’s ok. I will definitely make again!
I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit, Erin! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I doubled this in my Instant Pot and got the “BURN” message three times in a row and wanted to tear my hair out, had to put it in a dutch oven on simmer, and had to tread carefully to not incur a divorce worthy fight with hangry self and husband in process
I am so sorry that this happened! If you have a newer IP model, they’re typically more sensitive and trigger the burn warning easily. The best option (if nothing is stuck to the bottom) if you see “burn” is to add more liquid. If the sauce ends up more liquidy than you would like, you can always cook it down on the stove or using the saute function. You could also add a cornstarch slurry. I’m sorry again for the issues!
I know I’m late to the party with this recipe but holy smokes was this amazing! My husband and I are a couple of spice hounds so I added a jalapeno, ancho powder and additional adobo sauce to the mix and I have to say, I would pay good money for this at a restaurant. I have now shared this with my entire extended family. THANK YOU!!!
This MAKES my day, Kelley! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Thank you for this recipe! As an Arizona girl living in London, I need my mole fix and it’s hard to find here. I’ll also use normal canned diced tomatoes since we don’t have fire roasted when I make this this weekend. One small note – I noticed you had another commenter from the UK, “Sam,” and she said she couldn’t get the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce here. You actually can, from several places all based in the UK: Mestizo Mexican Market, the American Store in Notting Hill, and MexGrocer online all carry it. The first two have physical stores in Central London if she’s nearby where she can walk in and get it, otherwise Mestizo and MexGrocer deliver across the UK. I get my La Costeńa CPIAS same as I’d get in Arizona from these places. She may have left her email when she commented so maybe you can share with her! Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you for sharing these helpful tips, Adi! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Made this in the slow cooker and it was soooo good! I used a little peanut butter instead of the pepitas, and added a touch of lime juice and fresh cilantro, and served over rice. Really good for a cheat dish!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Dana! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Excellent. Will day the cook time was a little skinny—chicken was not done at first, so I had to put it in for another 5 minutes. Would probably go 12-15 for most chicken breasts. But tasted great.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Mathew! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’m super excited to try this recipe! However, I’ve got pork loin meat (chopped) that I’m going to use instead of chicken. Have you ever done this? Suggestions on cook time changes?
Hi Kellie! I haven’t tried this myself, so it would be an experiment. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
This was a very good recipe!
I used the Ninja Foodie so I added two cups of water to the top the chicken and sauce, undisturbed)
My husband loves Mole and the great chocolate taste, so I added 1/2 Drink Tablet of Abuelita during the last heating and chicken shredding phase.
Kudos to the Chef!
I
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Darlene! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I make this at least twice a month, but if it were up to my husband, it would be weekly. It’s so flavorful, comes together easily, and is amazing as a taco, enchilada filling or simply on top of white rice. Great job!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed the recipe, Carrie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Excellent recipe!! The only change I made was increasing the garlic. Really good!!!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Mary! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was delicious! I’d love to double it next time. Is that possible? Thanks.
Hi Britny! While I haven’t tried to double the recipe, other readers have done so with success. Just make sure you don’t fill your Instant Pot past the “max fill” line. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
This recipe is too good not to make. First of all, it’s super easy. Most of these ingredients I have on hand already, so throwing everything together in the instant pot/food processor is a breeze. I used chicken breast for this and the instant pot cooked it perfectly. I was worried that the chicken would be too dry, but it wasn’t at all. The mole sauce itself was a gorgeous balance of sweet and smoke. It was absolutely delicious!
Soooo happy to hear this Sarah! Thank you for sharing.
Unbelievably delicious. Couldn’t get enough.
So happy to hear that Cathy, thank you!
The chicken needs to be seasoned prior to putting in the Instant Pot. Next time I will rub the chicken thighs with adobo.
Thanks for trying the recipe, Raul! I hope you enjoy it even more next time!
This recipe is okay, but it did not remind me of Mexican mole. I know it’s not supposed to be authentic and therefore, expectations should be lower, but it doesn’t have the sweetness or the complexity of a mole. I also thought the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce was rather overwhelming to the dish. But it was fairly easy to make, so worth trying again with some changes perhaps.
Thanks for trying the recipe! I hope you enjoy it even more if you try it again!
This didn’t taste like mole, but it was very delicious nonetheless! I definitely had to add more liquid to avoid the burn warning. Had it both on tortillas and over rice, very tasty.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the flavors, Fifi! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I had the same problem, the burn notice kept a coming. Whats the remedy without watering down the recipe
I am so sorry that this happened! If you have a newer IP model, they’re typically more sensitive and trigger the burn warning easily. The best option (if nothing is stuck to the bottom) if you see “burn” is to add more liquid. If the sauce ends up more liquidy than you would like, you can always cook it down on the stove or using the saute function. You could also add a cornstarch slurry. I’m sorry again for the issues!
We live this recipe and have made it several times already. I add a couple tablespoons of peanut butter to the blender, and after the chicken is cooked I melt in 2 oz of dark chocolate as it reduces.
YAY, thank you Andrew!
I’ve made this recipe probably 20 times- just fantastic. I nudge up the abodo slightly and top with cilantro garlic slaw. Delicious easy dinner, awesome as leftovers.
Hooray! So glad to hear it, thank you! This review means so much and is so helpful!
It was ok considering how quick it was to make but not quite right either. Not but bad but not the mole sauce of my dreams
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your results, Glenn!
This turned out great. I didn’t trust the recipe re burn notice, so I put one cup of broth in the bottom, chicken on a trivet and mole sauce over the top. They were large breasts so I went for 10 minutes but it could have used another minute or two. The chicken finished cooking in the bubbling sauce after I shredded it.
I made just a few modifications to the sauce because it didn’t taste right to me… nice heat but not sweet or rich enough . So I added two additional tablespoons of cocoa powder and a generous drizzle of honey.
The sauce turned out smooth, rich and delicious with just the right level of heat.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Lee! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Absolutely brilliant recipe!! We’ve made it a bunch of times now with a few tweaks each time based on what’s in the pantry but each time it turns out delicious! We’ve take to just making the sauce alone and serving with grilled chicken, pork and veggies throughout the week.
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Cj! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I made this last night. I’m eating the leftovers for lunch right now, and it’s even better the next day. However, the next time I make it I won’t use the instant pot. I kept getting “food burn” even after I added a cup of chicken broth. I ended up using the the saute function for the chicken to cook. This is my second IP and I never got “food burn” on my first one, and I used it so often I finally wore it out. I’m not sure why I’m getting it with this one. Anyway, I’ll just use my big skillet: brown the chicken thighs and set aside, pour the sauce in and bring to a simmer; put the chicken thighs in the sauce, cover and cook until they will shred with a fork.
Hi Kayla! I am so sorry that this happened! If you have a newer IP model, they’re typically more sensitive and trigger the burn warning easily. The best option (if nothing is stuck to the bottom) if you see “burn” is to add more liquid. If the sauce ends up more liquidy than you would like, you can always cook it down on the stove or using the saute function. You could also add a cornstarch slurry. I’m sorry again for the issues!
We LOVE this recipe and have made it a number of times. However, without fail, we get a burn warning each time we make it. We always use cooking spray inside. We’ve also resorted to sautéing everything for the sauce in a separate pan to avoid the risk of food getting stuck on the bottom.
Anyone have any recommendations? This is the only recipe we have this problem with and can’t for the life of use figure out the culprit.
Hi Nicole! So glad you enjoy the recipe! I am so sorry that this happened! If you have a newer IP model, they’re typically more sensitive and trigger the burn warning easily. The best option (if nothing is stuck to the bottom) if you see “burn” is to add more liquid. If the sauce ends up more liquidy than you would like, you can always cook it down on the stove or using the saute function. You could also add a cornstarch slurry. I’m sorry again for the issues!
I made this last night. omg it’s great Erin. I had everything needed except the chipotle peppers and the tortillas. Only had 1 issue and it sure enough was the burn notice. I used 2 lbs frozen chicken tenders. I think next time I will put a small amount of liquid in the pot under the chicken. I will definitely make again. We used the raw, cook yourself, tortillas and it was awesome. Sorry I didn’t take a photo.
Hi Beth! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
My son said he really enjoy the recent elevation of Instant pot chicken. We loved this chicken. The house smelled so good and got everyone excited for dinner. Such great flavor. I always wanted to try mole and not I am not so scared to have it in a Mexican restaurant. I loved the little bit spicy, little bit sweet.
Hi Juli! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used chicken thighs and then chicken breasts on top , but the big thing is I coated the bottom of the pan with olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking! I didn’t have the right peppers in a can or tomatoes in a can, so substituted roasted peppers and a sort of Turkish hot pepper paste. It was delicious.
Hi Diane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
OMG…I can hardly wait to make this chicken mole recipe! I fell in love with the one of a kind flavor of mole sauce at a tiny restaurant in a small town in the foothills of the Cascade mountains in Washington state, around 30 years ago…their menu featured very authentic Mexican “family favorite” recipes the owner brought from the kitchens of his two favorite cooks, his mother, and grandmother. That tiny restaurant has grown to be 3 large, always busy restaurants, that serve the best Mexican food I’ve ever tasted….and their mole is 2nd to none. I’ve had mole from a dozen other places, and some were not bad, but, none of them captured the homemade flavor of my 1st delicious mole experience at that tiny cantina…I’ve searched for a recipe so I could make mole at home, but they have always seemed complicated, and a little intimidating, so i never attempted to make any of them…i was excited when i found mole in the grocery store a few years ago, but it isn’t very good, at all…But, your recipe has me super excited and very hopeful that i will be able to create a delicious mole sauce in my own kitchen, and share with my family and friends. I’ll be trying it out soon, and I’ll let you know how it turns out! 😎
Hi Jill! Hope you enjoy it!
This was so good! And fast and easy. Was it the same as the wonderful moles I have had in Oaxaca? No. But it is delicious.
I subbed almond butter and tahini for the nuts. My husband loved it. I don’t eat a lot of meat so while he had his chicken over rice, I put my sauce over a bowl of butternut squash, black beans and corn. Fantastic combo. I will definitely make again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Lori! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Thanks for the Veg recommendation. I like the idea of having it over squash and beans.
Smells heavenly and tastes great but I had repeated problems with my Instant Pot showing the “Burn” error message. I had to open the IP repeatedly and stir the sauce and chicken, and then added 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Still got the Burn notice. Next time, trying on stove top.
I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the “burn” notice, Maggie. Did you make sure nothing was stuck to the bottom? I’m happy you enjoyed the dish otherwise!
Loved this recipe easy and delicious ❤️
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Sandra! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Thank you for an easy and excellent recipe! I’m from Texas, and my favorite Mexican restaurant closed when the owners retired. This is the closest to their mole that I have had! I added a half teaspoon on Chipotle chili powder and a dozen ghirardelli small dark chocolate melting wafers to your recipe after the Instant Pot released pressure to achieve a deeper flavor. Since I let it naturally release pressure, I didn’t have to thicken the sauce. I used the chicken and sauce to make 10 enchiladas and had enough left over for 6 soft tacos!
Hi Jill! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I encountered the same “burn notice” as others. Next time out, I added one cup of water up front, and it completed the pressure cooking cycle without incident. I then took an extra five minutes to boil the sauce down. Perfect! This is a rich and flavorful mole. Is it indistinguishable from “authentic” recipes that take 30 ingredients and half a day’s labor to prepare? Of course not. But I can come home from work and get this dish on this table in under an hour. That makes it a godsend and a revelation in my book.
Hi Charlie! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for your feedback on adding more water!