Mexican Chicken Tamales Tamales De Pollo Recipes

TAMALES DE POLLO (CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TAMALES)

Steps:

• Place the corn husks in a large bowl and add enough warm water to cover. Weigh down with a plate if needed and soak until softened, at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, whisk the harina de maíz nixtamalizado, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Add the lard and rub into the dry ingredients with your fingers until thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is sandy. Add 2 1/2 cups broth, 1/2 cup at a time, and mix and knead in each addition with your hands until fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough should be soft and tacky but not sticky. If needed, continue adding broth 1/4 cup at a time, kneading well after each addition.
• To assemble a tamal, remove a husk from the water and pat dry. Use your fingers or a palette knife to spread a handful of masa (about 1/4 cup) in the center of the husk, covering about two-thirds of the husk with masa about 1/4-inch thick. Leave at least 3 inches clear at the pointed end and at least an inch on the other sides. Put 1 heaping spoonful of the chicken tinga filling lengthwise down the center of the masa. Wrap by bringing the right side of the dough over the filling and folding in half. Continue rolling tightly to the long end of the husk, then fold the pointed bottom end over the tamal towards the open top. Set aside folded ends down. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Prepare a large steamer by setting a steamer insert or rack above gently boiling water. Stack the tamales flat seam side down on the insert, leaving an empty space in the center. Cover with remaining husks, then the lid. Steam, replenishing the water as needed, until the tamales are firm and the masa comes away easily from the husk, about 45 to 55 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm in the steamer until ready to serve. Steamed and cooled tamales can be wrapped individually and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and steam until heated through to serve.

TAMALES DE POLLO CON CHILE VERDE- GREEN CHILE CHICKEN TAMALES

Steps:

• Preparing the cornhusks. Cover the husks with very hot water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and let stand for a couple of hours until the husks are pliable.
• Preparing the filling: On a baking sheet, roast the tomatillos about 4 inches below a very hot broiler until soft (they'll blacken in spots), about 5 minutes; flip them over and roast the other side. Cool and transfer to a food processor or blender, along with all the delicious juice that has run onto the baking sheet. Add the chiles and garlic and process to a smooth puree. Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium high. When quite hot, add the puree all at once and stir until noticeably thicker and darker, about 5 minutes.(I cover the pot with a splatter screen) Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer over medium heat (I use high heat) until thick enough to coat a spoon quite heavily, at least 10 minutes. I keep it simmering while I shred the chicken. (If you are making a double batch of the recipe, make sure to cook the filling for a longer amount of time.) Taste and season highly with salt, usually about 2 teaspoons. Stir in the chicken and cilantro; cool completely.
• Preparing the batter: With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the lard or shortening with 2 teaspoons salt and the baking powder until light in texture, about 1 minute. Continue beating as you add the masa (fresh or reconstituted) in three additions. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add 1 cup of the remaining broth. Continue beating for another minute or so, until a ½-teaspoon dollop of the batter floats in a cup of cold water (if it floats you can be sure the tamales will be tender and light). Beat in enough of the remaining ½ cup of broth to give the mixture the consistency of soft (not runny) cake batter; it should hold its shape in a spoon. Taste the batter and season with additional salt if you think it needs some. For the lightest textured tamales, refrigerate the batter for an hour or so, then rebeat, adding a little more broth or water to bring the mixture to the soft consistency it had before.
• For forming the tamales, separate out 24 of the largest and most pliable husks-ones that are at least 6 inches across on the wider end and 6 or 7 inches long. If you can't find enough good ones, overlap some of the large ones to give wide, sturdy surfaces to spread the batter on. Pat the chosen husks dry with a towel.
• Forming the tamales. Cut twenty-four 8- to 10-inch pieces of string or thin strips of cornhusks. One at a time, form the tamales: Lay out one of your chosen cornhusks with the tapering end toward you. Spread about ¼ cup of the batter into about a 4-inch square, leaving at least a 1 ½-inch border on the side toward you and a ¾-inch border along the other sides (with large husks, the borders will be much bigger). Spoon about 1 ½ tablespoons of the filling down the center of the batter. Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and bring them together (this will cause the batter to surround the filling). If the uncovered borders of the two long sides you're holding are narrow, tuck one side under the other; if wide, roll both sides in the same direction around the tamal. (If the husk is small, you may feel more comfortable wrapping the tamal in a second husk.) Finally, fold up the empty 1 ½-inch section of the husk (to form a tightly closed "bottom" leaving the top open), and secure it in place by loosely tying one of the strings or strips of husk around the tamal. As they're made, stand the tamales on their folded bottoms in the prepared steamer. Don't tie the tamales too tightly or pack them too closely in the steamer. They need room to expand.
• Setting up the steamer. Steaming 24 husk-wrapped tamales can be done in batches in a collapsible vegetable steamer set into a large, deep saucepan. To steam them all at once, you need something like the kettle-size tamal steamers used in Mexico or Asian stack steamers, or you can improvise by setting a wire rack on 4 coffee or custard cups in a large kettle. It is best to line the rack or upper part of the steamer with leftover cornhusks to protect the tamales from direct contact with the steam and to add more flavor. Make sure to leave tiny spaces between the husks so condensing steam can drain off.
• Steaming and serving the tamales: When all the tamales are in the steamer, cover them with a layer of leftover cornhusks; if your husk-wrapped tamales don't take up the entire steamer, fill in the open spaces with loosely wadded aluminum foil (to keep the tamales from falling over). Set the lid in place and steam over a constant medium heat for about 1 ¼ hours. (depending on the size of the tamales you make, it can take up to 4 hours). Watch carefully that all the water doesn't boil away and, to keep the steam steady, pour boiling water into the pot when more is necessary. Tamales are done when the husk peels away from the masa easily. Let tamales stand in the steamer off the heat for a few minutes to firm up. For the best textured tamales, let them cool completely, then re-steam about 15 minutes to heat through.

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.

MEXICAN CHICKEN TAMALES/ TAMALES DE POLLO

Steps:

• 1. If you are planning to make these tamales it is a good idea a month or two in advance to start collecting all the skin from the chicken that you purchase and freeze in baggies. The flavor from the the fat of the rendered chicken skin is amazing ask any Jewish delicatessen. Delicious...When you have a sizeable amount about a pound or two take out defrost put into a large fry pan and slowely fry on medium until all of the fat has rendered out. Save the fat in a jar and store in a cool dry place until ready to use prefably in the fridge. The little cracklins or fried up chicken skin are super delish. If you are lucky enough to live in New York City you can find the chicken fat in jars ready to cook with. On to the chicken. Put the giblets, and chicken parts into a very large soup pot add the water, onion, spice cloves, (2 only) bay leaf, cilantro, garlic and salt bring to a gentle boil. When boiling reduce heat and cook for 2 hours until chicken if falling of the bone. Shut off heat and let cool this should be done the day before. When cool enough to handle remove chicken from bone discard skin and bones and livers. Shredd chicken and dice giblets store in a large container and set aside in the refrigerator. When the chicken broth is cool enough to handle strain and store in the fridge as well there should be enough for at least 6 to 8 cups. If you are going to be short you can add store bought broth such as college Inn or Swanson. Note: If you are planning to make your tamales today then clean and remove all the corn silk from the corn husks now and put into a deep pot with very hot water to soak. weight them down with a heavy object so the will be under water. Leave saoking until ready fore use. About forty to fifty large corn husks should be enough soaking. If you will be making the tamales tomorrow then do this step firt before anything else. soaking the husks first & leave in the water until ready for use.
• 2. The Sauce, rinse and dry tomatoes. Take a large cookie sheet spray pam or spread a little canola oil on the cookie sheet. Rub tomatoes with a little canola oil and put under the broiler. I know I did not mention this in the ingredients but sometimes I take one medium seeded jalapeno and char with the tomatoes just for a little kick (only one)You can also char your 3 large poblano peppers at this time with the tomatoes. Sometimes depending on the weather i will char everything out on my grill. Turning until I have an even char on all the veggies. when done seperate the tomatoes from the poblanos cover the poblanos and let them sweat for a while like 30 minutes. Take your tomatoes skin and all and put into a blender with the garlic and the spices and jalapeno if using, and blend until you have a nice semi smooth sauce. Now into a deep fry pan or deep pot heat your chicken fat and add your sliced onions saute until translucent about 4 minutes. Next add the blended sauce and saute on medium high heat until somewhat reduced. Season again after tasting the sauce salt and pepper and add your shredded chicken. I like to add a little more cumin powder, and garlic powder to this just a sprinkle for added flavor even though i do not have the extra spice sprinkle in the above ingredients recipe. Thats just the way I cook. After the 30 minutes have passed take out the sweated poblanos carefully remove the chared skin and slice open remove the seeds and the core. Slice each poblano into 8 strips and set aside. To make the removal of the charred skin a little easier use a paper towel and wipe the skin away ferom the pepper. Do not rinse under water. you will wash away the delicious grilled flavor of the pepper. Save for the assemble of the tamales.
• 3. Mixing the Masa. If you have a heavy duty electric mixer such as an artisan mixer by Kitchen Aide use your dough hook. First beat the lard or chicken fat fora about 4 or 5 minutes it is good to beat enough air into the fat.(It makes for a fluffier tamale) The lard will turn an off white when this happens begin to add the masa or maseca alternately with very warm cupfulls of the strained chicken broth do this until your masa is of a thick creamy consistency like a thick creamy polenta. The masa or Maseca corn mixture should be tasted to see if it has enough salt. Set aside you are now eady to assemble your tamales.
• 4. Making the tamales. Remove your husks from the soaking water and towel blot dry. Cover with dish towels so they do not dry out. Take a butter knife and spread a fairly good tablespoon and a half of masa on a corn husk. spread to the bottom half of the husk leaving the the top half that looks like a triangle clean. Spread as if spreading a little less than a 1/4 inch of masa on the corn husk. Do not spread all the way to the ends leave a little space on each side. Next take a nice size heaping tablespoon of warm chicken sauce with chicken and lay down the middle of the or center of the husk be generous putting enough chicken and sauce in the tamale. Now take one slice of you prepaired poblano stips and lay across the chicken. Fold one side of the husk over the other so that the masea is completely coverd then take the top part (the pointed end and fold back down behind the back of the tamale. This will secure the tamale and less chance of it opening. lay seam down until you have done all of them this way. Stack the tamales in a tamle steamer or a pot fitted with an inverted bowl on the botton and a multi preforated pie tin or circular preforated screen to stack your tamales on. I remeber my grandmother improvising and setting a large mug in the middle of the screen and stacking the tamales open end always standing up and leaning a little to a slant against the mug and positioning all her tamales in a cicular position around the mug. She always made sure the water was very hot water almost boiling in the bottom of the pot or steamer. Remember these tamales never touch the water they steam and never get emersed in water. Steam for about an hour and 15 minutes Test to see if the tamales are done if the dough seperates easy from the husk the tamles are done. Freeze in bags of 6 or 12. They freeze well. To re heat frozen tamales steam again in a steamer for 15 to 20 minutes or heat in the microwave. Enjoy.
• 5. PS I have no photo of these at this time. I have not made since last year. When I make I will upload a picture of them. They look almost exactly as the pork tamales i have posted only these are made with chicken and the sauce is not as dark as the pork tamales. ood luck everyone. Enjoy.

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!