Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Chocolate Mole

Mexican

Medium · Hot

Yogurt Marinated Chicken with Chocolate Mole

Tender chicken thighs bathed in a salty yogurt marinade, finished with a deeply complex mole that walks the line between bitter chocolate and sweet spice. This is dinner arguing for pleasure.

Recipe by

Lola Mercado

The Dessert-for-Dinner Radical

Prep

15 min

Cook

30 min

Rest

Total

2h 45m

Method

Marinating the Chicken

Combine yogurt, minced garlic, lime juice, salt, cumin, and paprika in a large bowl. Mix until smooth and aromatic.

Add chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat every surface. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Building the Mole

Heat olive oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened and lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes.

Add minced garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and ground ginger. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

Pour in tomato sauce and chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Whisk cocoa powder into the simmering sauce, followed by honey and salt. Let the mole cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and deepens in color.

Cooking the Chicken

Remove chicken from yogurt marinade and let excess drip off. Reserve the marinade.

Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil.

Sear chicken thighs skin-side down for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy. Flip and cook 4 more minutes.

Pour the reserved yogurt marinade into the pan around the chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered for 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.

Finishing and Serving

Nestle the cooked chicken into the waiting chocolate mole sauce. Spoon mole over the top and let everything mingle for 3 minutes.

Taste and adjust salt. The mole should be complex, slightly sweet, with a deep chocolate presence that lingers.

Plate the chicken smothered in mole. Scatter fresh cilantro over the top for brightness and a hint of herb against the rich sauce. Serve immediately.

Nutri-Score

Good balance

A–E · lower is better · score 0

Calories

445

per serving

High in protein · 42gLow sugar · 18g

Protein

42g

Carbs

25g

Fat

22g

Sat. fat

Fiber

Sugar

18g

Sodium

1715mg

Gluten FreeHigh ProteinLow CarbDiabetes FriendlyHeart HealthyAnti InflammatoryBalanced MacrosWeight Management

Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.

Environmental impact

Moderate impact

A–E · lower is better · includes estimates

kg CO₂e

1.7

per serving

CCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade

Water

0.9m³

Land

56Pt

Runoff

0.2g P

Chicken Thighs drives 63% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.

Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.

Flavor Profile

Umami

Sweet

Salty

Sour

Bitter

Spicy

Textures

CrispyTenderSilkySaucy

Aromas

EarthyWarmHerbalPungentSmoky

Kitchen Equipment

Primary Tool

Cast Iron Skillet

Deep SkilletCast Iron Skillet Chef Knife Cutting Board Large Mixing Bowl Whisk Measuring SpoonsMeat ThermometerPlastic Wrap Paper Towels Tongs

Counter FootprintMedium

Techniques

Marinating SearingCaramelizingSimmering Braising

Safety & Storage

Cooking Temperature

Cook chicken thighs to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). Use a meat thermometer to verify doneness, especially when cooking covered with the yogurt marinade.

Cross Contamination

Raw chicken thighs may contain pathogens. Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for raw poultry. Wash all surfaces and hands with hot soapy water after handling raw chicken.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover yogurt marinated chicken with mole sauce within 2 hours of cooking. Store in airtight containers and consume within 3-4 days. The mole sauce can be stored separately for up to 1 week.

Handling

Marinate chicken in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Never leave marinating chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours total.

Allergen Warning

This dish contains dairy from the yogurt marinade. If using store-bought chicken broth, check labels for allergen information as some brands may contain gluten or other allergens.

High Risk Population

Immunocompromised individuals, pregnant women, young children, and elderly persons should ensure chicken is cooked to proper temperature and leftovers are reheated to 165°F (74°C) before consumption.

Pro Tips

Technique

Let your yogurt marinade work overnight if you can. The cultured dairy needs time to break down the proteins in the chicken, tenderizing it from the inside out while you sleep. When you finally uncover that pan in the morning, the meat will have absorbed all that tang and garlic—it's like the chicken marinated twice, once in the bowl and once in your anticipation.

Substitution

Out of dark chocolate? No crisis. The cocoa powder in this mole does the heavy lifting already. What you might add is a tablespoon of almond butter stirred into the sauce—it gives the mole a roundness, a body that cocoa alone sometimes lacks, and plays beautifully against the cinnamon.

Flavor Boost

Toast your cumin and cinnamon in a dry pan before grinding them into the mole. Thirty seconds over medium heat唤醒 the oils, wake up the spices. Your kitchen will smell like a market in Oaxaca, and your sauce will taste three times more complex than it looks.

From the chef

The first time I put chocolate in a mole, my grandmother called it blasphemy. Two bites later, she asked for the recipe. This dish is that argument—tender chicken soaking in salty yogurt tang, then drowned in a sauce that walks the line between bitter and sweet. Dinner doesn't have to be a punishment. It can be pleasure, fighting back.

Lola MercadoThe Dessert-for-Dinner Radical

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TagsChickenMoleYogurt MarinatedChocolateSweet SavoryWeeknight DinnerMedium DifficultyMarinade

AllergensMilkGluten

Source: generated · June 9, 2026