Chicken Tamales

Recipe courtesy Trevino Family

Show: Episode:

Rated 3 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 3 Reviews
Total Time:
2 hr 40 min
Prep
10 min
Cook
2 hr 30 min
Yield:
3 pounds of masa equals 3 dozen
Level:
--
x

Save To My Recipe Box

Please limit to 20 characters

Saving Recipe

Adding Recipe

Or Do Not Add

Success

This recipe was saved to your Folder_Name folder.

x

Save To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to save this recipe to your Recipe Box!!

25 Characters Max

Enter Time:

:
:

You can create up to five timers

Ingredients

Chicken filling:

  • 3 fryers
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 stalk celery, with tops
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/2 head garlic
  • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, packed
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 bay leaves

Directions

Place fryers in stock pot. Fill the pot with water to cover chickens. Add the remaining ingredients boil for 1 hour.

When chickens are done remove from pot, peel off the skin, de-bone chicken, chop and set aside.

TOMATILLO SAUCE:

Parboil tomatillos, poblano pepper, bell pepper, onion. Chop, add remaining ingredients and coarsely blend. Set aside.

Saute chopped chicken in a little oil and tomatillo sauce. Cook for 10 minutes.

BEAN FILLING FOR TAMALES:

  • 4 cups pinto beans
  • 1 whole onion
  • 1 head garlic
  • 1 tablespoons salt
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 ounce chopped garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • Chile powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons comino (cumin)

In a large stock pot, cover beans with water. Add onion, head of garlic and salt. Boil until done, drain, reserving liquid. Mash beans and set aside.

Mince 1 cup onion, 1-ounce garlic and saute in 1/4 cup of oil. When onion is clear add flour constantly mixing with whisk until golden. Add mashed beans with a conservative amount of liquid from beans. Add chile powder, oregano, comino. Add salt if needed. Taste again.

MASA: 6 pounds masa 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 1 3/4 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon sugar 1 tablespoon comino, (cumin) 2 1/2 pounds of lard or vegetable shortening 7 ounces water or chicken broth

Corn husks

Mix all ingredients on low mixer setting. After thoroughly mixed, beat (or knead) at medium for 15 minutes until masa dough is smooth. To check readiness, drop a small amount of masa in a glass filled with water. If masa floats, it's ready. Using back of spoon, spread masa mixture thinly and evenly on inside of corn husk. Covering half the length of each husk. Fill with tamale filling and fold. Get 16 quart stock pot with lid, steamer with lid or tamalera: tamale steamer. Tamaleras as a rule come equipped with rack and lid. Stainless steel vegetable steamer fan like: sold in most grocery stores. Damp kitchen towel. The bottom of the pot is filled with hot water being careful not to cover the rack. The rack is covered with tamale husks that were left over from the ones used for the tamales. The vegetable steamer is placed over the husks bottom side up to give a dome effect. The tamales are placed open and up, side by side around the dome. Continue this process with about 2 dozen tamales. As the pot begins to fill up the tamales can be placed flat on top of each other. Corn husks again are used to cover the mound of tamales then cover with a cloth and close with the lid. The lid should fit well enough as to keep the steam in the pot. Bring to rapid boil, reduce heat, steam for 30 minutes. To test doneness, open husk. Tamale should be firm. Masa should not adhere to the husk. When cooked remove all tamales. Ready to eat.

Print Recipe

Browse Reviews by Keywordnew!

Loading review filters...

COMMENT ON THIS PROJECT

    

Sign in

All fields are required.

E-mail Address:

Password:

Remember me on this computer

Signing in

Please enter your email address and we will send your password

E-mail Address

Your password has been sent and should arrive in your mailbox very soon.

Not a member?

Sign up for My Food Network to share photos, show off your style, and connect to an enthusiastic and helpful community.

It's free and easy.

Review This Recipe

You must be logged in to review this recipe.

Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 3 reviews

  • on December 24, 2009

    Flag

    Delicious!! I used the masa recipe I've always used, but the filling and sauce were spot on. To the person so said "it sounds gross" please cook the recipe before reviewing it.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
  • on October 17, 2005

    Flag

    Not your watered down "Americanized" version of tamales. So good... all the ingredients in the chile sauce make it awesome. The masa is not an easy thing to get right but this recipe makes for perfect tamales.

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
  • on July 26, 2005

    Flag

    I like the chicken filling, tomatillo sauce, & the bean filling; & I will use these.
    But, the masa part of the recipe, I did not care for. Alot of lard/shortening!

    I found a much better & easier to read recipe for Homemade Tamales. They were delicious & easy!

    people found this review Helpful.
    Was this review helpful to you? Yes | No
Advertisement

What's Hot

Iron Chef America

Hosted by: Alton Brown

Free Recipe of the Day Newsletter

Let Food Network chefs plan what's for dinner, with quick and easy recipes delivered to your inbox daily.

Ads by Google

© 2013 Television Food Network G.P. All rights reserved.