Why This Recipe Works

Set-and-forget convenience: The slow cooker blooms dried chiles and reduces the sauce without a single stir for the first six hours.
Layered flavor in minutes: Blending the aromatics raw saves toasting time yet still delivers depth thanks to long, gentle simmering.
Pantry-friendly: Everything lives in a well-stocked cupboard—no specialty produce required.
Chicken that shreds itself: Bone-in thighs stay succulent and literally fall off the bone after eight hours.
Freezer hero: Make a double batch; the sauce thickens even more when thawed, perfect for enchilada smothering.
Sesame sparkle: Toasted seeds add nutty crunch and a photogenic finish that makes guests think you plated at a restaurant.

Ingredients You'll Need

Great mole hinges on the chiles—look for pliable, fragrant pasilla and ancho pods; if they shatter like autumn leaves they’re too old and will taste dusty. I buy mine from a little Latin market that restocks weekly; a vacuum-sealed bag from the supermarket works in a pinch, but sniff for smoky-sweet perfume before committing. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are non-negotiable: the skin renders and insulates the meat, while the bones donate collagen to thicken the sauce. If you only have breasts on hand, tuck them in during the final 90 minutes so they don’t dry out. Mexican chocolate is traditionally stone-ground with cinnamon and sugar; Ibarra or Taza disks melt like dream, yet bittersweet baking chocolate plus a pinch of sugar and cinnamon gets you 95 % of the way there. Tahini stands in for the customary masa or bread thickener, lending creamy body and subtle sesame backbone that echoes the final sprinkle. For the tomatoes, I reach for fire-roasted canned ones in January and ripe Romas charred under the broiler in August—either route gifts a whisper of smoke. Finally, toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet until they pop like sesame-flavored popcorn; under-toasted seeds taste flat, over-toasted ones turn bitter.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Mole With Sesame Seeds

Toast & Soften the Chiles

Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium. Tear 4 dried pasilla and 2 ancho chiles open; discard stems and most seeds. Press the pods flat against the hot skillet for 15 seconds per side—just until they blister and puff like balloons. Transfer to a bowl, cover with 2 cups boiling water, and weigh down with a plate so every chile is submerged. Steep 15 minutes; reserve soaking liquid.

Build the Flavor Base

To a blender add the drained chiles, 2 chopped Roma tomatoes, ½ white onion roughly sliced, 4 cloves garlic, 2 Tbsp tahini, 1 Tbsp smooth peanut butter (trust me), 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp allspice, ¼ tsp cloves, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 oz bittersweet chocolate, and 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Blitz on high for 90 seconds until satin-smooth; add more liquid only if the blade stalls.

Season the Chicken

Pat 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry. Season all over with 1 tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black pepper, and 1 tsp dried oregano, rubbing the seasoning under the skin for maximum oomph. Heat 1 Tbsp neutral oil in the same skillet over medium-high. Sear thighs skin-side down 3 minutes until bronzed; flip and sear 2 minutes more. You’re not cooking through—just building fond.

Load the Slow Cooker

Scatter the seared thighs (and all those crusty brown bits) into a 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the mole sauce over top; add ½ cup chicken stock around the sides so you don’t wash seasoning off the chicken. Nestle 1 bay leaf in the center. Cover and cook on LOW 7–8 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours; the meat should threaten to glide off the bone when nudged with a fork.

Reduce & Enrich

Transfer chicken to a platter and tent with foil. Pour sauce into a wide skillet; simmer on medium 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Taste: add salt, a splash of honey, or a squeeze of orange to balance. Return chicken to the sauce just to rewarm, spooning glossy mole over every piece.

Finish with Sesame

Toast 3 Tbsp white sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking until they pop and turn golden. Serve mole over cilantro-lime rice; shower with the seeds and extra cilantro leaves. Pass orange wedges—the citrus lifts the chocolate like a back-stage spotlight.

Expert Tips

Temperature Sweet Spot

Cook on LOW if your schedule allows; the gentle heat prevents the chocolate from seizing and gives the chiles ample time to mellow.

Thin or Thicken

If the sauce is too thick after reduction, loosen with chicken stock. Too thin? Whisk in 1 tsp masa harina and simmer 2 minutes.

Overnight Flavor

Mole tastes even better the next day; refrigerate in the insert then rewarm on LOW 1 hour, stirring once halfway.

Double Batch Hack

Fill two slow-cooker inserts, stack them (lid on), and rotate halfway through for parties without extra babysitting.

Smoky Shortcut

Stir ½ tsp smoked paprika into the finished sauce for campfire nuance when you’re short on dried chiles.

Vegan Flip

Swap chicken for 2 cans black beans plus 1 lb cubed butternut; cook on LOW 4 hours, then proceed with reduction.

Variations to Try

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Cool the chicken in the sauce within 2 hours. Transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate up to 4 days; the flavor matures beautifully by day three.

Freeze: Portion into freezer-safe bags, press out excess air, and freeze flat up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then rewarm gently with a splash of stock.

Make-Ahead Sauce: Blend and refrigerate the raw mole base up to 5 days ahead. When ready to cook, simply sear the chicken and proceed—dinner tastes like you slaved all day.

Meal-Prep Bowls: Pack ½ cup rice, ⅓ cup mole chicken, and steamed veggies in microwave-safe containers. Reheat 90 seconds, top with sesame seeds, and lunch is served.

Frequently Asked Questions

Boneless thighs work; nestle them in the last 2 hours so they stay juicy. Breasts go in at the 90-minute mark on LOW. Expect slightly less silky sauce since bones donate collagen.

Yes—provided your stock and chocolate are certified gluten-free. Tahini replaces the traditional bread thickener, keeping the sauce naturally wheat-free.

Remove every seed and vein from the chiles; they carry 80 % of the capsaicin. Stir 1 Tbsp honey into the finished sauce for a mellow, kid-friendly mole.

Absolutely—simmer covered on the lowest flame 2½ hours, stirring every 20 minutes and adding splashes of stock to prevent sticking. Finish by uncovering and reducing 15 minutes.

Blend 2 Tbsp peanut butter with 1 tsp toasted sesame oil for a convincing stand-in, or use 1 Tbsp sunflower seed butter for nut-free homes.

Warm gently in a covered skillet with ¼ cup stock over medium-low 5 minutes, basting the meat with sauce. Microwave works too—cover with a damp paper towel and heat 60 % power.

Slow Cooker Chicken Mole With Sesame Seeds