Chicken tamales are one of the best dishes you can make when you’re feeding a crowd, need something to keep in the freezer, or just happen to have a bunch of people at home and want to help you put it together. It is also a traditional Christmas dish for many Southerners of Latin American descent, especially those in Texas.
These chicken tamales capture the flavors of chicken tinga (chicken tossed in a red sauce of chipotle, adobo, tomato, and sliced onions) wrapped in a soft, fluffy coat of masa. It’s a delicious sauce with a warm, toasty flavor, but you can substitute it with your favorite sauce, like chile verde.
Learn how to make, assemble, and cook chicken tamales, then gather your friends and family for a classic tamalada party. As it turns out, tamales take a little time, but they’re well worth your time.
chicken tamale ingredients
Get your grocery list. Here’s what you need to make chicken tamales:
Chicken Breasts: Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts are more tender and juicy than the classic boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can also use chicken thighs. Onions, garlic, black pepper, salt: These spices season the chicken breasts as they cook. Diced tomatoes and chipotle chiles in adobo sauce: These form a quick sauce to use before cooking the chicken. Dried corn husks: These will hold the tamales together. They typically arrive packaged in 1 pound bags. One pound is equivalent to over 50 corn husks, so all he needs is one package. Corn husks need to be soaked for at least an hour to soften them and prevent them from tearing when rolled. Masa Harina: Also known as nixtamalized ground corn, this corn dough flour is used to make masa dough or tamale dough. Since it’s leftovers, it’s also great for thickening soups. Vegetable oil: Add vegetable oil to masa harina instead of lard or shortening to give it richness and mellowness. You can also use more traditional fats if you prefer. Baking powder: This isn’t necessary, but it helps make the masa fluffier and softer when steaming. And that fluffiness is what we’re aiming for. Salsa, pico de gallo, or sour cream: These optional toppings are great for plating, but you can also choose your own.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Props Stylist: Julia Bayless
How to make chicken tamales
I will briefly introduce how to make chicken tamales. More details are provided below. Complete recipes come with step-by-step guides with photos.
Soak the corn husks: Dried corn husks aren’t very flexible, so you’ll need to soak them in boiling water for a few hours before starting the tamale-making process. Cook the chicken: Boil the bone-in, skin-on chicken. Make a quick homemade soup by dissolving the brisket and seasonings in water for the best flavor. Shred the cooked chicken and sauté it with the tomatoes, chipotle chiles with adobo, and the reserved 3/4 cup broth. Make masa. Stir in reserved soup and more masa harina. Add the masa mixture to the oil in a stand mixer and mix in portions until the mixture is smooth and thick. (Lard or shortening are also commonly used in this step, but we like to use vegetable oil.) Finally, add baking powder and salt. Assemble the tamales: Prepare the line and add the masa to the corn husks, followed by the chicken filling. Finally, fold and tie the tamale. Steam the tamales: Place the tamales over a steamer basket in a large pot of boiling water. The steam will soften the masa and it will be ready in about 45 minutes. Add more water while cooking to prevent the tamales from burning. Let the tamales cool: After steaming, let them cool for about 30 minutes before serving.
How to assemble chicken tamales
Assembling chicken tamales is probably the most difficult part of making tamales, and one of the reasons many people avoid it. It’s tedious work, but the rewards are great. If you have multiple people helping you, setting up an assembly line will make things go much faster.
Here’s an overview of how to assemble chicken tamales:
Prepare the corn husks. Drain and dry one of the soaked corn husks. (Dry shells will crack and break, and all of the masa and contents will flow out during steaming, so don’t skip soaking.) Spread the masa: Place 1/4 cup of the masa on top of the shells. , spread over the shells with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Leave a gap of 2 inches at the bottom of the narrow end, 2 inches at the top near the wide end, and about 3/4 inch on the sides. This will give you space to roll the tamales. Add filling. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling vertically into the center of the tamale. Fold the tamales. Everyone has their own style of folding tamales. Do what you know or use our style. Fold the long end of each tamale into the center (one side overlaps the other). Next, fold the bottom of the shell up to create an open bag. You can tie the tamales if you like, but placing each tamale seam side down will keep it secure until you place each bundle in the pot.
How to make chicken tamales
Once all the tamales are tied together, it’s time to cook them.
Add about 1 inch of water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Place the tamales in the steamer basket of the pot, open end up. Submerge the tamales in the steamer, being careful not to let the water get to the top of the steamer, then cover and steam for about 45 minutes. If it comes to a boil during cooking, add water little by little. When the masa separates from the corn husks, remove it from the pan with tongs and let cool completely on the baking sheet for about 30 minutes. Or a plate.
Tips for making the best chicken tamales
The best advice for making chicken tamales is to invite friends over to your house so it’s not a very long process. Double or triple her recipe and everyone can take home a tamale.
But some of our other best advice includes:
Make ahead: All elements of chicken tamales, including the masa, can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Store components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to assemble, set up your line and get to work. Do not shrink the pot. Use an appropriately sized pot so that the tamales fit snugly together. Otherwise, it may spread during steaming. If your pot is a little too big, you can tie each tamale with a small piece of corn husk to keep it together. Freeze for later: Cooked tamales are great for making ahead. Once steamed and cooled, transfer the tamales to a Ziploc bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 3 months. (They keep for a long time, but for best flavor, eat them within three months.) Throw a party: Tamaladas are gatherings of friends and family for the very purpose of making tamales. is. Such gatherings are common during holidays, as tamales are a traditional dish in parts of the South. However, you can host it any time you want to fill your freezer or refrigerator with your favorites.
How to serve chicken tamales
Keep it simple and serve chicken tamales with toppings like pico de gallo and fresh cilantro. Or eat more. Sides like charro beans or elote are also great ideas. A bowl of pozole is also welcome, as are tamales, which are often served on holidays.
How to store and reheat chicken tamales
Store leftover tamales in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months
To reheat the tamales, return them to the steamer and reheat in boiling water for 15 minutes (you may need to use a smaller pot and steamer) or in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes . You can also cook it from frozen, but you will need a few extra minutes to warm it up completely.
Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Props Stylist: Julia Bayless
