Chicken Tamales Recipe

Name: Chicken Tamales Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 110 min
Total time: 190 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, or thigh; 1 medium white onion, halved, divided use; 2 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed, divided; 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste; 1 serrano pepper, or jalapeño pepper; 2 pounds fresh tomatillos, husks and stems removed, washed; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro; 1 teaspoon crushed epazote, or 3 whole epazote leaves; 3/4 cup lard, or shortening, unsalted butter, or grapeseed oil; 2 1/2 cups masa harina; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste; 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock from cooking the chicken, or vegetable stock; 30 corn husks

Chicken tamales are prepared from scratch, featuring a flavorful chicken filling and a tender masa dough, followed by assembly and steaming.

⭐ 4.3 (8 reviews) Prep: 20 minCook: 110 minTotal: 190 minYields: 24 servings

Category Tags:

Dinner Lunch

Cuisine Tags:

Mexican

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Instructions

Start boiling chicken with half an onion, 1 garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon of salt for 45 minutes until cooked.
Cool and shred the chicken; reserve the cooking stock.
Prepare the serrano by removing stem, calyx, and seeds, then slicing.
Boil tomatillos, serrano, remaining half onion, remaining garlic, cilantro, and epazote for 20 minutes until soft.
Drain and blend these ingredients to create a green salsa.
Combine shredded chicken with the green salsa; season with salt to taste and refrigerate.
Beat lard, shortening, or butter until creamy.
Whip in masa harina, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt, gradually adding oil if using.
Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock until the dough is light, fluffy, and smooth, adding more stock if needed.
Season the masa with salt to taste and refrigerate.
Soak corn husks in hot water for 5 minutes until pliable.
Shake excess water from husks and lay them flat.
Tear 2-3 husks lengthwise into thin strips for tying.
Arrange husks, masa, water, and filling for assembly.
Spoon 3-4 tablespoons of masa onto each husk, then add 1-2 tablespoons of filling.
Fold the husk sides together to enclose the filling.
Fold the bottom tip of the husk over the filled section.
Tie each tamale crosswise with a husk strip.
Start boiling water in a steamer pot. Layer tamales folded-end down, cover, and steam for 45 minutes.
Cool tamales slightly before serving, optionally with extra salsa.