Soft tamales made with nixtamalized corn dough, filled with shredded chicken in salsa verde, then gently steamed in corn husks. A comforting, fragrant Mexican classic that is perfectly doable at home.
Ingredients
- 18 leaves dried corn husks for tamales
- 300 g nixtamalized corn masa harina
- 300 ml chicken broth
- 90 g lard
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 450 g boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 250 g Mexican salsa verde
- 1 piece yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- 0.5 bunches fresh cilantro
- 80 g crème fraîche
Method
- Soak the corn husks in very hot water until they become pliable and easy to fold; they should lose their stiffness without tearing.
- Gently cook the chicken with the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt until the meat easily pulls apart with a fork; reserve the fragrant broth for the dough.
- Shred the still-warm chicken, then mix it with the salsa verde and simmer for a few minutes, until the filling is juicy but not runny.
- Whip the lard until it is pale and airy, then gradually fold in the masa harina, baking powder, salt, and broth; the dough should be soft, light, and spreadable without being runny.
- Drain and wipe the corn husks, then spread a layer of dough in the center of each husk, leaving the edges bare so you can close them cleanly.
- Place a strip of chicken in salsa verde in the middle of the dough, fold the sides of the husk around the filling, then fold up the pointed end to form a closed package.
- Arrange the tamales upright in a steamer basket, open end up, cover with a few corn husks, and steam gently until the dough pulls cleanly away from the husk.
- Let the tamales rest off the heat before opening them; serve hot with fresh cilantro, crème fraîche, and a little extra salsa verde if desired.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 784.9 kcal
- Protein
- 27.92 g
- Carbohydrate
- 63.56 g
- Fat
- 46.93 g
- Fibre
- 9.17 g
- Calcium
- 139.45 mg
- Iron
- 1.03 mg
- Magnesium
- 28.1 mg
