Description
This easy chicken tamale recipe combines tender shredded chicken, homemade red chile sauce and soft masa steamed inside corn husks.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
- 4 cups chicken broth or water
- ½ white onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 bay leaf
- Red Chile Sauce
- 6 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
- 2 garlic cloves
- ¼ white onion
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1½ cups reserved chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
Masa
- 4 cups masa harina made for tamales
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1¼ cups softened lard or vegetable shortening
- 3 to 3½ cups warm chicken broth
Assembly
- 26 to 30 dried corn husks
Instructions
- Place the corn husks in a large bowl and cover them with very hot water. Weigh them down with a plate and soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Add the chicken, broth, onion, garlic, salt and bay leaf to a pot. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Transfer the chicken to a bowl and shred it. Strain and reserve the cooking broth.
- Toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry skillet for about 10 seconds per side. Cover them with hot water and soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Drain the chiles and blend them with the garlic, onion, cumin, oregano, salt and 1½ cups reserved chicken broth.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the chile sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Add the shredded chicken and simmer for five minutes. Remove the filling from the heat and let it cool slightly.
- Whisk the masa harina, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the lard for three to four minutes, until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the masa mixture, alternating with the warm broth. Continue mixing until the masa is soft and spreadable.
- Place a softened corn husk on the counter with the wide end facing you. Spread approximately ¼ cup masa over the wide portion.
- Add 1½ to 2 tablespoons chicken filling down the center. Fold in both long sides, then fold the narrow bottom end upward. Repeat with the remaining husks and filling.
- Stand the tamales upright in a steamer with their open ends facing up. Cover and steam for 60 to 75 minutes, adding more hot water when necessary.
- Instant Pot method: Alternatively, pour 1 cup of water into the Instant Pot and insert the steamer rack. Arrange the tamales upright with their open ends facing up, making sure they sit above the water. Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 25 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully releasing the remaining pressure. Let one tamale rest for five minutes before opening it. The husk should pull away cleanly from the masa. If the masa still sticks, return the tamales to the Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for another five minutes. Very large or tightly packed tamales may need up to 30 minutes of pressure cooking.
- Test one tamale after letting it rest for five minutes. If the husk pulls away cleanly, the tamales are done. If it sticks, steam for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Rest the tamales, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- The filling should be moist but not watery.
- Add broth to the masa a few tablespoons at a time until it spreads easily.
- Keep the tamales above the water level while steaming.
- Keep extra hot water ready in case the steamer begins running low.
- Leave the corn husks on the tamales during refrigeration and freezing.
- Prep Time: 1 Hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 249.3
- Sugar: 0.0 g
- Sodium: 156.1 mg
- Fat: 16.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.2 g
- Fiber: 2.0 g
- Protein: 12.9 g
- Cholesterol: 48.8 mg