Mole-Inspired Fried Chicken With Chile Cocoa Sauce

Imperial June 23, 2026June 23, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes active, plus 4 hours marinating
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
Marinade: 2 cups buttermilk, 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dredge: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
Frying: 6 to 8 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
Mole-style sauce: 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 cup minced onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon cloves, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons raisins, 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
To serve: Toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, lime wedges, flaky salt

Do This

1. Marinate chicken in the buttermilk, salt, sugar, chile, garlic, pepper, and cinnamon for 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
2. Simmer the mole-style sauce ingredients, blend until smooth, then keep warm.
3. Mix the seasoned flour dredge and let the marinated chicken sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
4. Dredge chicken thoroughly, pressing the flour mixture into every piece; rest on a rack for 10 minutes.
5. Fry in 325°F to 350°F oil until deeply golden and cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes depending on the piece.
6. Drain on a wire rack and season lightly with flaky salt.
7. Serve with warm mole-style sauce spooned over the chicken or on the side, plus sesame seeds, cilantro, and lime.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Special but familiar: It has the crispy, juicy comfort of classic fried chicken with a warm chile-cocoa spice profile that makes it feel memorable.
Deep flavor without complicated techniques: The quick mole-style sauce uses pantry-friendly ingredients like ancho chile powder, cocoa, nuts, broth, and a little chocolate.
Great texture: Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken, cornstarch lightens the crust, and a short post-dredge rest helps everything cling beautifully.
Flexible serving style: Spoon the sauce over the chicken for a dramatic plate, serve it on the side for dipping, or dust the chicken with extra sesame and chile for a drier finish.

Grocery List

Produce: 1 small yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, fresh cilantro, limes
Dairy: Buttermilk
Meat: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces such as thighs, drumsticks, breasts, and wings
Pantry: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, neutral frying oil, low-sodium chicken broth, tomato paste, raisins, sliced almonds, sesame seeds, creamy peanut butter, bittersweet chocolate, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, flaky salt
Spices: Ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, cayenne pepper, black pepper, kosher salt

Full Ingredients

For the Buttermilk Chile Marinade

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, preferably 8 pieces total, patted dry
2 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Mole-Inspired Dredge

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Frying

6 to 8 cups neutral high-heat oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, enough to reach 1 1/2 inches deep in your pot
Flaky salt, for finishing

For the Quick Mole-Style Sauce

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1/2 cup finely minced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons raisins
2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter or almond butter
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste

For Serving

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges
Extra warm mole-style sauce, if desired

Mole-Inspired Fried Chicken With Chile Cocoa Sauce – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl or a 1-gallon zip-top bag, combine the buttermilk, kosher salt, brown sugar, ancho chile powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and cinnamon. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until fully coated. Cover or seal and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours. The buttermilk seasons and tenderizes the meat while the chile, cocoa-adjacent spices, and cinnamon begin building that mole-inspired flavor.

Step 2: Bring the chicken closer to room temperature

About 30 minutes before frying, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Set the pieces on a rimmed baking sheet while you prepare the sauce and dredge. Do not leave the chicken out longer than 1 hour. Taking off the deep chill helps the chicken cook more evenly and keeps the crust from darkening too quickly before the center is done.

Step 3: Make the quick mole-style sauce

Set a small saucepan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon neutral oil. Add the minced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden at the edges. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and cocoa powder. Cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spices; the mixture should smell warm, toasty, and rich, but not burnt.

Add the chicken broth, raisins, toasted almonds, sesame seeds, peanut butter, chopped bittersweet chocolate, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and the raisins are plump. Carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth, or transfer to a countertop blender and blend with the lid vented. The sauce should be glossy and spoonable. If it is too thick, add chicken broth 1 tablespoon at a time. Keep warm over very low heat.

Step 4: Mix the seasoned dredge

In a wide shallow bowl or baking dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, ancho chile powder, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, cloves, kosher salt, and black pepper. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. This rack is useful twice: first for resting dredged chicken, and later for draining the fried chicken so the crust stays crisp.

Step 5: Dredge the chicken for a craggy crust

Lift one piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Place it in the flour mixture and press the dredge firmly onto all sides, including the edges and under any loose skin. For an extra craggy crust, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mixture and rub it in with your fingers to make small shaggy bits, then press those bits onto the chicken. Transfer the coated piece to the wire rack. Repeat with all remaining chicken pieces, then let them rest for 10 minutes while the oil heats. This short rest hydrates the flour so it adheres better during frying.

Step 6: Heat the oil safely

Pour the oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep cast-iron skillet until it is 1 1/2 inches deep, using about 6 to 8 cups depending on the width of your pot. Attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Place a clean wire rack over a second rimmed baking sheet, or wipe off the first rack if you are reusing it. Heat the oven to 200°F if you plan to hold batches warm.

For best results, keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F while frying. If the oil drops below 325°F, the crust can become greasy. If it rises above 350°F, the spices and cocoa in the coating may darken too quickly.

Step 7: Fry the chicken in batches

Carefully lower 3 to 4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil, skin-side down first, without crowding the pot. The oil temperature will drop; adjust the heat as needed to maintain 325°F to 350°F. Fry thighs and drumsticks for 12 to 15 minutes total, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden brown and the thickest part reaches 175°F. Fry bone-in breasts for 10 to 13 minutes, until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Fry wings for 8 to 10 minutes, until they reach 165°F.

Transfer fried pieces to the clean wire rack and immediately sprinkle lightly with flaky salt. If needed, keep cooked chicken in the 200°F oven while you fry the remaining batches. Let the oil return to 350°F before adding the next batch.

Step 8: Sauce, garnish, and serve

Let the fried chicken rest for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the crust stays crisp. Spoon a little warm mole-style sauce onto a serving platter, arrange the fried chicken on top, then drizzle more sauce over a few pieces while leaving some of the crust exposed. Finish with toasted sesame seeds, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve extra sauce on the side for dipping.

Pro Tips

Use a thermometer: A fry thermometer for the oil and an instant-read thermometer for the chicken are the easiest ways to avoid undercooked meat or over-darkened crust.
Do not skip the dredge rest: Ten minutes on the rack helps the coating hydrate and cling, which means fewer bare spots in the skillet.
Control the sauce thickness: The nuts, seeds, raisins, cocoa, and chocolate make the sauce naturally thick. Thin it with warm broth 1 tablespoon at a time until it drapes nicely over the chicken.
Keep the sauce mostly off the crust until serving: For maximum crunch, serve sauce underneath or alongside the chicken, then drizzle lightly right before eating.
Choose darker pieces for the juiciest result: Thighs and drumsticks are especially forgiving and pair beautifully with the chile-cocoa sauce.

Variations

Boneless version: Use 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Marinate as directed, then fry at 350°F for 5 to 7 minutes total, turning once, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Spicier version: Increase the cayenne in the dredge to 1/2 teaspoon and add 1 minced chipotle pepper in adobo to the sauce before blending.
Oven-fried version: After dredging, place chicken on an oiled wire rack set over a baking sheet, spray generously with cooking spray, and bake at 425°F for 35 to 45 minutes, turning once, until the chicken reaches the proper internal temperature. The crust will be less shatteringly crisp but still flavorful.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover fried chicken and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 12 to 18 minutes, or until hot and re-crisped. Reheat the sauce gently in a small saucepan over low heat, adding 1 to 3 tablespoons of broth or water if it has thickened in the refrigerator. The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead, and the chicken can marinate up to 12 hours ahead. For the best crust, dredge and fry the chicken the day you plan to serve it.

Nutrition (per serving)