Chicken Tamales With Salsa Roja Recipes

CHICKEN TAMALES WITH SALSA ROJA

Steps:

• Put 12 corn husks in a large bowl, cover with hot water, and weight down with a plate to keep them submerged. Soak until soft and pliable, about 2 hours; drain.
• Simmer chicken in broth 12 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, shred into small pieces.
• Dough:Combine masa harina, lard, and salt in a food processor and pulse until the consistency of coarse cornmeal. Transfer to a large bowl. Add 2 cups corn to processor and puree; transfer to bowl with masa mixture. Stir in remaining cup corn and warm broth. Knead mixture with your hands until a dough forms. Cover with a damp towel until ready to use.
• Tear remaining 3 corn husks into 24 thin strips. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place 1 soaked corn husk on your flattened palm. Pinch off 1/3 cup dough with your other hand and press it into center of husk to form a 4-by-3-inch rectangle. Press 1/4 cup chicken into center of dough. Close your palm so sides of husk cover filling, and place on a work surface with a long side of the husk facing you. Roll up husk into a tight log, fold over the wider end of the husk, and tie with a strip of corn husk. Twist thinner end of husk and tie with another corn-husk strip. Repeat process to form remaining 11 tamales.
• Insert a steamer basket inside a large pot filled with 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Place tamales in basket, cover, and steam 1 hour, checking pot occasionally and adding hot water as needed to prevent scorching. Serve tamales with salsa.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• To make the tamales: Place the corn husks in a large bowl and add enough boiling water to cover. Submerge in the water by weighting down with another bowl. Let stand until the husks soften, about 1 hour. Drain well and pat dry.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Add the onion to the fat in the skillet and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Return the chicken to the skillet and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a plate. Cool until easy to handle. Discard the skin and bones and coarsely chop the meat. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Meanwhile, let the cooking liquid stand off the heat for 5 minutes. Skim off and discard the fat on the surface. Return the skillet to the stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the liquid is reduced to a thick glaze, about 20 minutes. Scrape the glaze onto the chicken, then add the cheese.
• To make the tamales, place a corn husk on the work surface. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the Classic Cornbread batter in a 2 to 3-inch square area in the center of the husk. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken in the center of the batter and top with about 1 tablespoon of the batter. Fold the sides of the husk to enclose the batter (the tamale is now about 2 1/2 inches wide). Fold over the ends of the husk so the tamale is about 3 inches long. Place the tamale, smooth side up, on the work surface. Using kitchen twine, tie up the tamale with kitchen string, gift-box fashion. Repeat with the remaining husks, batter and chicken. (You may have some husks left over since you soaked more than you needed, in case some got torn.) Stand the tamales up, side by side, in a steamer inserted in a large pot. Add enough water to the pot to barely reach the bottom of the steamer. Cover tightly and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low. Steam the tamales until the batter is firm (open a tamale to check), about 1 hour. (The tamales can be made up to 8 hours ahead, cooled, and refrigerated. Steam over boiling water for 15 minutes to reheat.)
• Serve hot, with the Salsa Roja passed on the side.
• Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the tomatillos and cook just until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain.
• Heat a heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) over high heat until very hot. Cook the chiles, turning frequently, until they turn a darker shade, about 3 minutes. Do not burn them. Transfer to a plate and cool. Cut open and discard the seeds and stems. (Wear plastic gloves if your hands are sensitive, and do not touch your eyes or other delicate parts of your body until you wash your hands well.)
• Puree the tomatillos, chiles, tomato sauce, onion, and garlic in a blender or food processor. Season, to taste, with salt. Cool completely. (The salsa can be prepared up to 3 days ahead, covered, and refrigerated.)
• Whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl to combine. Make a well in the center. Whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and oil in another bowl until the eggs are well combined. Pour into the well and stir just until the batter is moistened ? do not overbeat.

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 AND GREEN SALSA TAMALES

Steps:

• Place corn husks into a large heatproof bowl. Pour enough boiling water over the husks to cover. Place a heatproof plate on the husks to keep them submerged. Let soak for 1 hour. Remove, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together lard and 2 teaspoons salt on medium speed until combined. Slowly add the masa harina and stock. Continue to beat until well combined and smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Add the tomatillos and jalapenos and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to the jar of a blender along with the garlic, cilantro, onion, and bouillon. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little water, if needed.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add chicken and tomatillo mixture. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Working with the grain, tear 3 corn husks lengthwise into 24 quarter-inch-wide strips. Set aside.
• Place one of the remaining 12 corn husks on work surface; pat dry. Position corn husk so the small end is parallel to the edge of your work surface. Place 1/4 cup of the masa mixture onto the center, but slightly closer to the bottom, of the corn husk. Spread into a rectangle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on the small end and a 1-inch border around the other three sides. Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of the masa mixture, followed by a piece of potato and then a piece of cheese. Bring the two long sides of the husk together to enclose the filling. Fold the ends under, tying with 2 of the reserved strips to secure. Repeat process with remaining husks and filling.
• Fill a tamale steamer, or a stockpot fitted with a steamer insert, with enough water to come just below the level of the steamer. Line the bottom of the steamer insert with a layer or corn husks. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and add tamales so that they stand (upright) in the pot. Cover with damp paper towels. Steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. To check for doneness, unwrap a tamale. When done, dough will come free from corn husk and feel soft. If dough sticks to corn husk, rewrap, and steam 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes to allow the masa to firm up. They will remain warm for about an hour.

SALSA ROJA CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy plastic on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Combine flour, salt, and ground black pepper in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
• Coat a large skillet with olive oil; heat over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken; cook until golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and continue cooking until second side is golden brown, about 4 minutes more.
• Stir diced tomatoes, salsa, chili powder, and cumin into the skillet. Cook until flavors combine, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken stock and lime juice; stir to blend. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Add 3 ounces cotija cheese and tortilla pieces to the sauce; simmer, about 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken on the platter.
• Garnish chicken with remaining 1 ounce cotija cheese and fresh cilantro.

TAMALES WITH CHICKEN AND SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Prepare the husks: simmer the husks in water to cover for 10 minutes, weighting them with a plate to keep them submerged, let stand for a few hours until they are pliable To make dough: Beat the lard in a mixer until very light, for about 1 minute Add 1 cup masa to lard, beat until well blended.
• Continue beating adding alternately the remaining masa and the poultry broth only adding enough broth to give the consistency of a medium thick cake batter.
• Sprinkle the baking powder and salt.
• Beat 1 minute more.
• To make the salsa: Husk and wash the tomatillos.
• Put the tomatillos and serrano chiles and some salt in a pot of water and boil them until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
• Drain and put them into the bowl of a food processor.
• Add the coriander, onion and garlic.
• Process until smooth.
• Heat 1 Tbsp of the lard in a medium large skillet over medium high heat, when the lard is hot enough to make a drop of the tomatillo puree sizzle, pour it all in at once.
• Stir the sauce constantly for 45 minutes until it gets darker and thicker, thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Add the chopped tomatillos and cilantro.
• Season with salt.
• Mix the shredded chicken with 1/2 cup of the cooked tomatillo sauce.
• To form the tamales: Remove the husks from the water when they have softened Pat husks dry.
• Tear the extra husks into 1/4"x7" long strips for each tamale.
• Take a husk that is at least 6"x7", lay out with tapering end toward you.
• Spread a couple of Tbsp of dough mixture into a square, leaving at least 1-1/2" border on side towards you and a 3/4" border along other sides.
• Pick up 2 long sides of corn husk and bring together, overlapping one over the other.
• Fold up the bottom section of husk tightly right up to the filling line.
• Leave top open.
• Secure it in place by loosely tying one of the strips of husk around the tamale.
• Repeat with remaining husks and dough mixture.
• Stand the tamales on the folded bottom in a prepared steamer, being sure they are not packed too closely so they can expand.
• Cover with a layer of leftover husks.
• Cover with lid and steam for 1 hour.
• Check carefully that all the water doesn't boil away, adding boiling water when necessary.
• Serve with salsa on the side.