How To Make Chicken Tamales Food

RED CHICKEN TAMALES (TAMALES ROJOS DE POLLO)

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for a few hours. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Place chicken in a pot, season with salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken and shred with 2 forks.
• Heat a griddle over medium heat and toast ancho and mulato chiles until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak until soft, about 25 minutes. Combine ancho and mulato chiles, garlic, cumin seeds, and about 1/2 cup of the soaking water in a blender; blend until a thick, smooth, mole-like sauce forms, adding more water if necessary.
• Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a saucepan over medium heat and add the sauce; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook until flavors are combined and chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Place remaining lard in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add masa harina, chicken broth, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and beat until all ingredients are well combined. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep working the dough a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Place chicken (or turkey), 1 onion wedge and whole garlic clove in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 165°F, about 12 minutes. Transfer the meat to a clean cutting board to cool. Shred the meat.
• Meanwhile, soak cornhusks in a large pot or bowl of hot water. Weigh the husks down so they stay submerged.
• Chop the remaining onion wedge. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add minced garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring, until they soften into a thick, chunky paste, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the shredded meat, chipotles, adobo sauce, oregano, pepper and 1/2 cup broth. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
• If using fresh masa, put it in a large bowl and add 1/2 cup broth. Knead with your hands until a wet dough forms. (If using masa harina, place it in a large bowl and add 2 1/4 cups broth. Mix until evenly moist and soft.)
• Pour the remaining 1 1/4 cups oil into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the dough, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the oil while mixing on low speed and working up to medium speed once the dough comes together.
• Add baking powder and the remaining 2 teaspoons salt. (If using masa harina, add an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup broth if the dough seems stiff.) Mix on high speed for 10 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until the dough is smooth and fluffy.
• To assemble tamales: Remove a husk from the water and pat dry. Choose the largest, thickest husks that don't have any holes. Peel off and discard any dried corn silk.
• Use a rubber spatula to spread about 1/2 cup of dough (or less: the amount will depend on the size of your husk) in a rectangle on the husk, leaving about 3 inches of space on the narrower end of the husk, where you'll fold it closed, and 2 inches of space on the other end. Using a slotted spoon, add about 1 tablespoon of the reserved filling down the middle of the dough. Bring one end of the husk toward the other and press together lightly to seal the dough inside the husk. (If the filling spills out, you've added too much, but you can spoon a little more masa on top of any leaks.) Tuck the edges of the husk under each other to form a long tube. Hold the tube vertically and press firmly on the bottom edge of the tamale to seal. Fold the husk back in the place where you've sealed it. Place on a baking sheet and repeat to make the remaining tamales.
• Add 1 inch of water to a large pot fitted with a steamer basket. Line the basket with a layer of husks. Bring the water to a light boil. Add the tamales carefully in a vertical position. Steam, adding more water if necessary, until the husk just starts to pull away from the dough, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, transfer the tamales to a baking sheet; let cool for 15 minutes. Serve the tamales with salsa, crema (or sour cream) and avocado, if desired.

GREEN CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Place corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 30 to 60 minutes. Drain, place on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
• Place chicken in a pot, season with salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken and shred with 2 forks.
• Place tomatillo and serrano peppers in a pot while chicken is cooking, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook until tomatillos are soft and have changed color, but are not falling apart, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Combine tomatillos, serrano peppers, onion, cilantro, and garlic in a blender; blend into a smooth sauce.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add tomatillo sauce. Cook until sauce has slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and season filling with salt.
• Beat remaining butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add chicken broth, masa harina, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and beat well until combined and the consistency of cookie dough. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it's ready, if not, keep beating for a little longer.
• Select 1 wide corn husk or 2 small ones. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk, filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of filling down the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk, about 1 hour. Let tamales stand for 15 minutes before serving.

30 MINUTE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in warm water until soft.
• Using an electric mixer, blend the masa flour (Maseca for Tamales), corn oil, salt, baking powder and the chicken broth to obtain a consistent mixture.
• Shred the chicken and marinate in the green salsa or tomatillo sauce.
• Spread masa evenly over corn husks, and spread a spoonful of marinated chicken on top of the masa.
• Fold the sides of the corn husk to center over the masa so that they overlap to make a long package.
• Fold the empty part of the husk under so that it rests against the side of the tamale with a seam.
• Place the tamales in a steamer and cook tamales for 35-40 minutes.
• Check every 20 minutes.
• The tamale is cooked when it separates easily from the corn husk.

CHICKEN TAMALES WITH SALSA VERDE RECIPE

Steps:

• First you'll soak the corn husks so they soften up and will be easier to fold. Place the corn husks in a large pot of hot water.
• Press the husks into the water to ensure they're completely covered.
• Soak the husks for 20 minutes, drain and set aside to dry.
• Thinly slice the white onion. Stack a few slices at a time, cut slices into quarters and set aside.
• Slice and dice the garlic.
• Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch chunks.
• Heat a pot over medium-high heat and pour in the olive oil.
• Add the onions and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Add salt, then the garlic and cook until onions are soft.
• Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Stir and cook over medium heat until the chicken has browned.
• Next, pour in the water to cover the chicken and vegetables completely. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. The broth will darken as the chicken cooks.
• Drain the chicken and vegetables and reserve the chicken broth for use in the masa.
• Separate the chicken and the vegetables into different plates and finely shred the chicken with your hands.
• Set aside the chicken and onions for the filling.
• Slice and quarter the tomatillos.
• Slice the Poblano chili lengthwise, remove the veins and seeds, and cut into 1-inch slices.
• Place the tomatillo quarters and the Poblano chili slices into a pot of water and add salt.
• Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables change color.
• Once cooked, drain the veggies by pressing into the strainer to be sure you remove all the broth. Reserve the broth to use in the Make the Masa step below.
• Pour the drained vegetables into your blender and blend until smooth.
• Pour the shredded chicken into a large bowl and add the onions.
• Next, pour the salsa over the chicken and onion mixture and stir to combine. Your filling is now ready!
• Place your room-temperature vegetable shortening in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Alternatively you could use a hand mixer or beat by hand.
• Beat until light and fluffy.
• Pour the baking powder into the bowl with the shortening.
• Then add the corn flour.
• Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of salt and mix until combined.
• Pour in about ½ cup of the reserved vegetable broth from the Make the Salsa step above and mix until combined. Note that the liquid measurements are just a guide. Keep an eye on the dough to ensure it's not too wet or crumbly.
• Pour in ½ cup of the chicken broth little by little, being careful not to add too much liquid.
• Mix until combined. The dough should be spongy, not wet. Follow the next step to test the texture of your masa. If you've added too much liquid, you can balance out the dough with more corn flour.
• Fill a glass with warm water and take a small chunk of the masa from the mixing bowl.
• Drop the masa into the glass of water. If it floats, your masa is perfect! If not, beat in a little more shortening for about a minute and then test again.
• Take your corn husks and cut straight across the top or bottom edge.
• When you unfold the husk, the top edge should be wide and straight, and the bottom edge longer.
• Lay a corn husk flat in your hand with the straight, wide edge facing toward you. With the other hand, scoop about 2 to 3 tablespoons of masa into the husk.
• Spread the masa evenly about ⅔ across the straight edge of the husk and halfway down. You'll need the empty space to fold the tamales over.
• Scoop about a tablespoon of chicken filling and place on top of the masa in the husk. Spread evenly in the center of the dough.
• Fold over one half of the corn husk toward the center to cover the filling, then fold over the other half.
• Fold the bottom of the corn husk under your tamale. You now have a perfectly folded tamale!
• Place your folded tamale in a plate and repeat with the remaining corn husks.
• Add a few cups of water to a steamer pot and heat until the water is hot.
• Tip: Once the water is hot, drop a few coins in. If you hear the coins rattling as you heat your tamales, that means there's enough water in the pot. Once the coins stop rattling, it's time to add more water to the pot.
• You're now ready to place the steamer rack in the pot and heat your tamales. Alternatively you could use a stockpot with a steamer basket as long as you can get a good seal when you cover your pot.
• Place your tamales into the steamer upright with the open part of the husk at the top, being careful not to crush them.
• Once you've added all of your tamales to the steamer, cover and steam over medium heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until cooked. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
• Your tamales are now ready to eat! Serve with a side of white rice or beans, or eat them as they are. Enjoy!

GREEN CHILE AND CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Let the chicken cool and then use forks or your fingers to shred it.
• Add the shredded chicken and the diced chiles to a large bowl. Add the green chile sauce, queso fresco, sour cream, cumin, chili powder, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Remove any debris or corn silk from the corn husks.
• Separate the larger whole husks from the smaller bits and pieces. Use the larger husks for wrapping and save the smaller ones for tying.
• Place the husks in a large bowl and cover with warm water. Put a plate, bowl, or heavy skillet on top of the husks to keep them submerged. Let soak until flexible and softened, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• Remove the husks from the water and pat dry. Place in a covered dish or a large plastic bag to prevent them from drying out.
• Gather the ingredients.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the masa harina and warm water until combined.
• Let the mixture sit to let the masa soften, about 20 minutes. Mix on low speed, scraping down the bowl occasionally, until a dough forms.
• Gradually sprinkle in the onion powder, chili powder, cumin, and salt as you continue to mix.
• In a medium bowl, stir the lard until soft and light, about 3 minutes.
• Add the lard to the dough a little at a time while continuing to mix on low until well combined.
• The mixture should be the consistency of peanut butter. If not, add more masa harina, water or broth as necessary.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Use the larger husks for the tamales. Use the smaller or broken husks to create ties by cutting or tearing them into 1/4 inch-wide strips.
• When looking at the husks for wrapping, notice the shape. They have a narrow end, a broad end, and two long sides. Lay the husk on a flat surface with the narrow end at the bottom.
• Depending on the size of the husk, spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of dough on the husk placing it toward the top. Do not overfill.
• Use the back of a spoon to spread the dough onto the husk, leaving a border of about 4-inches from the narrow end and about 2- inches from the top.
• Spread the dough to the edge of one of the long sides, leaving a 2-inch border on the opposite long side. Try to keep the dough about 1/4-inch thick.
• Spread a couple of spoonfuls of filling down the center of the dough, leaving at least a 1-inch border of dough around all sides.
• Make a package by fold the long empty side (the side with no masa) over, slightly overlapping the opposite side so the edges of the dough meet. Wrap the extra husk around the back. Then fold the broad end over the top and then the longer narrow end over the broad end.
• Use the narrow strips to tie across the middle of the tamale to hold the flaps down.
• Set tamales upright in a tamale steamer, a large pot fitted with a strainer insert, or something similar. The key is to have a small amount of boiling water on the bottom of the pot and a strainer of some sort to keep the tamales from touching the water.
• Cover the pot and steam for about 90 minutes, or until the masa feels firm, looks smooth, and comes away from the husk cleanly (you can take one tamale out to test). Check the water level in the pot occasionally and replenish the water if needed. Let the tamales cool for 1 hour before taking them out of the steamer to allow the masa to firm up before serving.

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the bouillon powder and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chicken and simmer until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool; cut into small pieces. Reserve the broth.
• Puree the cilantro and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved broth in a food processor until smooth (save the remaining broth for another use). Transfer to a medium pot. Add the garlic, cumin and salsa and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Make the dough: Soak the ancho chile in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the chile, then mince to make a paste. Combine the chile paste, masa harina, lard, 2 2/3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt
• in a bowl. Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) 10 to 15 minutes, or until a marble-size ball of dough floats in water.
• Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
• Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing up in the steamer, folded-side down. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the tamales pull away from the husks, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.

CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Cover corn husks with cold water; soak until softened, at least 2 hours., Place chicken, onion, salt and garlic in a 6-qt. stockpot. Pour in 3 qt. water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 45-60 minutes. Remove chicken from broth. When cool enough to handle, remove bones and skin; discard. Shred chicken. Strain cooking juices; skim fat. Reserve 6 cups stock., For dough, beat shortening until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in small amounts of masa harina alternately with small amounts of reserved stock, using no more than 2 cups stock. Drop a small amount of dough into a cup of cold water; dough should float. If not, continue beating, rechecking every 1-2 minutes., For filling, heat oil in a Dutch oven; stir in flour until blended. Cook and stir over medium heat until lightly browned, 7-9 minutes. Stir in seasonings, chicken and remaining stock; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 45 minutes., Drain corn husks and pat dry; tear 4 husks to make 20 strips for tying tamales. (To prevent husks from drying out, cover with a damp towel until ready to use.) On wide end of each remaining husk, spread 3 tablespoons dough to within 1/2 in. of side edges; top each with 2 tablespoons chicken filling and 2 teaspoons olives. Fold long sides of husk over filling, overlapping slightly. Fold over narrow end of husk; tie with a strip of husk to secure., Place a large steamer basket in the stockpot over water; place tamales upright in steamer. Bring to a boil; steam, covered, adding hot water as needed, until dough peels away from husk, about 45 minutes.