Power-Packed Green Chicken Tamales
Power-Packed Green Chicken Tamales
Ingredients
For the Chicken Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 yellow onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
For the Green Sauce (Salsa Verde)
- 2 poblano peppers, large, seeded
- 1/2 yellow onion, medium, roughly chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 serrano chiles, to 2, stems removed (adjust to spice preference)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 sprigs epazote, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
For the Masa (Dough)
- 1/2 cup lard, room temperature
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 cups masa harina for tamales
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup green sauce, reserved from salsa verde
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken, warm, as needed
For Assembly
- 20 dried corn husks, to 24, large
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the corn husks: Place dried corn husks in a large bowl or pot and cover completely with hot water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, or until pliable. Weigh them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Drain and pat dry before assembling.
⏱️ 30 min
- 2
Prepare the chicken filling: In a large pot, brown the chicken thighs over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side. Add the water, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, and 1/4 cup of roughly chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the chicken is very tender.
⏱️ 65 min
- 3
Shred chicken and reserve broth: Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the solids. Shred the chicken using two forks or your hands. Set aside the shredded chicken and reserved broth.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Roast vegetables for salsa verde: Preheat oven to 400°F. On a baking sheet, toss the seeded poblano peppers, roughly chopped onion, husked tomatillos, unpeeled garlic cloves, and serrano chiles with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are charred and softened. Let cool slightly.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 400
- 5
Blend the green sauce: Once cooled, peel the roasted poblano peppers and garlic cloves. Transfer the peeled poblanos, garlic, roasted onion, tomatillos, and serrano chiles to a blender. Add the ground cloves, ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano, fresh spinach, 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, and 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Set aside 1/4 cup of this green sauce for the masa dough.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Cook the green sauce: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in the blended green sauce. Add the epazote sprigs. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 20 min
- 7
Combine chicken with green sauce: Stir the shredded chicken into the simmering green sauce. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes, ensuring the chicken is thoroughly coated and has absorbed the sauce's flavors. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and let the chicken filling cool completely.
⏱️ 15 min
- 8
Prepare the masa dough: In a large bowl, whisk the room temperature lard until smooth and creamy. Add the avocado oil and whisk until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gradually add the dry masa mixture to the lard and oil mixture, mixing by hand until a crumbly dough forms.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
Finish the masa dough: Add the 1/4 cup of reserved green sauce and 1 1/2 cups of warm reserved chicken broth to the masa mixture. Mix by hand until a moist, spreadable dough forms. The masa should be light green and have a consistency similar to soft playdough. If too dry, add a little more broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add a little more masa harina.
⏱️ 5 min
- 10
Assemble the tamales: Take a soaked and dried corn husk. Spread a thin, even layer of green masa (about 1/4 cup) onto the smooth, wider end of the husk, leaving about 1 inch clear on the sides and top. Place a spoonful (about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons) of the cooled green chicken filling in the center of the masa.
⏱️ 30 min
- 11
Fold the tamales: Fold one side of the corn husk over the filling, then fold the other side over, overlapping slightly. Fold the narrow bottom flap of the husk up towards the top to seal the tamale. Repeat with the remaining masa, filling, and corn husks.
⏱️ 15 min
- 12
Steam the tamales: Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a steamer pot, making sure they are snug but not overly packed. If you have extra corn husks, cover the top of the tamales with them to help trap steam. Cover the steamer pot tightly with a lid. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 60-90 minutes, or until the tamales easily pull away from the husks and hold their shape. Add more hot water to the steamer if needed during cooking.
⏱️ 75 min - 13
Serve: Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy your power-packed green chicken tamales!
⏱️ 10 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Power-Packed Green Chicken Tamales
Ingredients
For the Chicken Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 yellow onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
For the Green Sauce (Salsa Verde)
- 2 poblano peppers, large, seeded
- 1/2 yellow onion, medium, roughly chopped
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
- 1 serrano chiles, to 2, stems removed (adjust to spice preference)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 cup fresh spinach, packed
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, packed
- 1/2 cup chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 sprigs epazote, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more, to taste
For the Masa (Dough)
- 1/2 cup lard, room temperature
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 cups masa harina for tamales
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup green sauce, reserved from salsa verde
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, reserved from cooking chicken, warm, as needed
For Assembly
- 20 dried corn husks, to 24, large
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the corn husks: Place dried corn husks in a large bowl or pot and cover completely with hot water. Let them soak for at least 30 minutes, or until pliable. Weigh them down with a plate to keep them submerged. Drain and pat dry before assembling.
⏱️ 30 min - 2
Prepare the chicken filling: In a large pot, brown the chicken thighs over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes per side. Add the water, quartered onion, smashed garlic cloves, bay leaves, and 1/4 cup of roughly chopped cilantro. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, or until the chicken is very tender.
⏱️ 65 min - 3
Shred chicken and reserve broth: Remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the solids. Shred the chicken using two forks or your hands. Set aside the shredded chicken and reserved broth.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Roast vegetables for salsa verde: Preheat oven to 400°F. On a baking sheet, toss the seeded poblano peppers, roughly chopped onion, husked tomatillos, unpeeled garlic cloves, and serrano chiles with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until the vegetables are charred and softened. Let cool slightly.
⏱️ 35 min•🌡️ 400 - 5
Blend the green sauce: Once cooled, peel the roasted poblano peppers and garlic cloves. Transfer the peeled poblanos, garlic, roasted onion, tomatillos, and serrano chiles to a blender. Add the ground cloves, ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano, fresh spinach, 1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro, and 1/2 cup of the reserved chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Set aside 1/4 cup of this green sauce for the masa dough.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Cook the green sauce: In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute. Pour in the blended green sauce. Add the epazote sprigs. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
⏱️ 20 min - 7
Combine chicken with green sauce: Stir the shredded chicken into the simmering green sauce. Continue to simmer for 5-10 minutes, ensuring the chicken is thoroughly coated and has absorbed the sauce's flavors. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and let the chicken filling cool completely.
⏱️ 15 min - 8
Prepare the masa dough: In a large bowl, whisk the room temperature lard until smooth and creamy. Add the avocado oil and whisk until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine the masa harina, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Gradually add the dry masa mixture to the lard and oil mixture, mixing by hand until a crumbly dough forms.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
Finish the masa dough: Add the 1/4 cup of reserved green sauce and 1 1/2 cups of warm reserved chicken broth to the masa mixture. Mix by hand until a moist, spreadable dough forms. The masa should be light green and have a consistency similar to soft playdough. If too dry, add a little more broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add a little more masa harina.
⏱️ 5 min - 10
Assemble the tamales: Take a soaked and dried corn husk. Spread a thin, even layer of green masa (about 1/4 cup) onto the smooth, wider end of the husk, leaving about 1 inch clear on the sides and top. Place a spoonful (about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons) of the cooled green chicken filling in the center of the masa.
⏱️ 30 min - 11
Fold the tamales: Fold one side of the corn husk over the filling, then fold the other side over, overlapping slightly. Fold the narrow bottom flap of the husk up towards the top to seal the tamale. Repeat with the remaining masa, filling, and corn husks.
⏱️ 15 min - 12
Steam the tamales: Arrange the assembled tamales upright in a steamer pot, making sure they are snug but not overly packed. If you have extra corn husks, cover the top of the tamales with them to help trap steam. Cover the steamer pot tightly with a lid. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and steam for 60-90 minutes, or until the tamales easily pull away from the husks and hold their shape. Add more hot water to the steamer if needed during cooking.
⏱️ 75 min - 13
Serve: Carefully remove the tamales from the steamer. Let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy your power-packed green chicken tamales!
⏱️ 10 min