Chicken in Salsa Verde Tamales Casserole
Cazuela de Tamales de Pollo en Salsa Verde
Recipe Yield
12 servings
Cooking time
1 hour 25 minutes
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil to grease the baking dish
- 1 batch corn dough or masa from my tamal recipe
- 1 batch salsa verde
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican crema or Latin-style cream, crème fraiche or sour cream
- 2 1/2 cups (about 10 ounces) grated Oaxaca cheese mozzarella or Monterey Jack
To Prepare
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Grease a large baking dish with oil. Spread half of the tamal dough or masa in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside 3/4 cup of salsa verde and combine the rest with the shredded chicken. Spread the chicken and salsa verde mix on top of the masa. Cover with the rest of the masa in a second layer. Cover with aluminum foil and place in the oven for an hour.
- Remove from the oven. Carefully remove the aluminum foil and spread on the remaining 3/4 cup of salsa verde. Top with the cream and cheese. Place back in the oven, uncovered, for 10 more minutes, or until the cheese completely melts and begins to brown along the edges. Serve hot, cut into squares.
Comments
116comments inChicken in Salsa Verde Tamales Casserole
Jenny S.
Jul 11
Hi! Could you premake and freeze this dish like you can with a lasagna?
Pati Jinich
Jul 14
Yes! Tamales freeze very well 😉
Dolores Sandoval
Dec 30
I finally have time to comment on this delish casserole. We do potluck for church on Christmas, and since tamales take too much time, I introduced this great casserole, we all loved it. I make it now every year for potluck, so far 4 years in a row, anyone who loves tamales, highly recommend this casserole without all the work. Thank u party for sharing this great recipe? Your big fan
Pati Jinich
Jan 14
Thanks so much for letting me know Dolores! So happy to hear this casserole has been a hit for so many years now!
Anonymous
Dec 18
You always make such awesome foods,love it and your show’s.Thank you❤️
Pati Jinich
Dec 20
Thanks to you for following 🙂
Elizabeth Lane
Dec 18
What a grand idea. Gonna make this & take it to two elderly ladies who are shut-ins.
I was wondering what to make for them.
Thank you.
Bendiciones
Pati Jinich
Dec 20
I hope they enjoy it Elizabeth, gracias!
Eugenia
Dec 15
Hola Pati,
Me gusta tu receta de la Cazuela de Tamal de Pollo en Salsa Verde, y la quiero preparar para mi familia en esta Navidad. Se oye deliciosa y mas facil de preparar que cada tamal por separado.
Gracias por compartirla y deseo que tengas una bonita y Feliz Navidad con todos en tu familia, y un Año Nuevo con salud y bediciones para cada uno de ustedes.
Pati Jinich
Dec 20
Ojala que les guste mucho a todos la cazuela Eugenia! Abrazos y mis mejores deseos para ti y tu familia 🙂
Mel
Dec 13
Thanks
Pati Jinich
Dec 20
My pleasure 😉
Karen Lane
Dec 12
Sounds great. Can’t wait to try it.
Pati Jinich
Dec 19
Hope you will love this casserole Karen!
Mago
Feb 04
Wow!! It was delicious thank you for the recipe
Pati Jinich
Mar 23
So glad you liked it 😉
Alicia
Feb 02
Hola Pati yo le voy hacer esta receta para mis nietos les encanta los tamales 🫔 y sin tanto tiempo en la cocina gracias 🙏🏼 bendiciones
Pati Jinich
Mar 13
Yay, mil gracias Alicia, ojala que les gusten!
Marsha Rodriguez
Feb 02
Sounds good. Saves all the work of individual tamales.
Pati Jinich
Mar 13
Right?
Elvira Bake
Nov 19
Pati this recipe sounds good but would or could make with red enchilada sauce?
Pati Jinich
Dec 11
Absolutely, go for it!
Herb
Jan 25
Pati
How does this freeze?
Just tried it. Very good but just two of us.
Pati Jinich
Feb 08
It freezes beautifully, just make sure to do it in an air tight container and then let it thaw in the counter before re heating when you are ready for left overs 🙂
Theresa (big fan in Madison, WI)
Dec 03
Would it work to prepare it, chill it and then freeze it, uncooked? I like having ready to bake things in the freezer.
Pati Jinich
Dec 08
In my opinion it would be better to fully cook it, freeze it and then thaw and reheat in the oven when you are ready to eat it Theresa 😉
Cristina Manley
Dec 30
Esto se ve y suena delicioso, lo intentaré gracias Patti for sharing 😊
Pati Jinich
Jan 02
Ojala que te guste Cristina, un abrazo!
Camilla Rios
Dec 29
Just the recipe I was looking for! Thank you. I religiously watched your tv program on Create TV. Your family was always so much fun.
Pati Jinich
Jan 02
So glad you liked this recipe Camilla, and thanks for tuning in 🙂
Pamela
Dec 25
OMG! This was so good!
I actually make my salsa verde the same way. We made it for Christmas dinner for just the 4 of us. Everyone is full and happy. Maybe next time we’ll actual my make the tamales, but this is so easy. And the best part is we don’t have to cook tomorrow either. 🙂
Pati Jinich
Dec 26
Happy you liked this recipe Pamela, gracias!
Jessica
Jun 30
I have made your favourite chicken in green salsa tamales before and everyone absolutely loved them. So delicious! I want to try the tamales pie recipe now but I was wondering if I could omit the cheese and crema on top? Or do you need them to retain the moisture? Many thanks
Pati Jinich
Jul 04
Hi Jessica! You can leave out the cheese and crema on top if you are dairy free, no problem enjoy!
Stewart, in a Arlington, VA
Dec 04
Pati,
This recipe is sensational. I already make the salsa verde regularly. I use it in sour cream enchiladas and just eat it with chips. I bought masa and corn husks, but, I’ve wimped out on making tamales. I’ve been making Pupusas and corn tortillas. Tonight that changed. Your masa dough recipe is so easy and so tasty. It works perfectly in this casserole recipe. I think some true tamales will be coming soon. Thank you.
Pati Jinich
Dec 06
Awesome Stewart, go for the tamales, you will love them!
Nancy
Dec 14
My family LOVES this casserole! The first time my daughter and I made masa, we jumped for joy when a small amount of masa floated as you said. We were thrilled we did it right! Thank you for the wonderful memories I will have with my daughter making this wonderful casserole! Do you know if the casserole can be frozen? Should I freeze if prior to baking or after baking???
Thanks again for your wonderful methods of teaching and phenomenal recipes!!!
Grateful,
Pati Jinich
Dec 14
Oh I love that you guys jumped for joy, Nancy! And yes it can be frozen.
G
Nov 18
Question, I have a hard time adding the top layer of masa. It gets hard to spread. Do I need to thicken the salsa verde so I don’t have that problem?
Pati Jinich
Nov 20
It takes some practice…keep going, G!
Stewart p, in Arlington, VA
Aug 03
Pati! This recipe is great. I’ve always wanted to make tamales, and, this recipe was a perfect way to cook all the pieces without the stress of assembling tamales. It was actually really easy. So delicious. I can think of MANY ways to use the salsa verde. It’s terrific. I find I need to add a tbsp or two of agave to balance the tomatillos to my taste. Tomorrow we will have the leftovers on eggs, for breakfast. I found Oaxaca cheese and Crema in the Oaxaca style. Yum! I really enjoy your show and this is the second recipe I’ve tried that we really liked. Thanks.
Pati Jinich
Aug 08
I hope you give many more recipes a try, Stewart!
Pamela
Dec 25
Stewart, I did the same thing! If you have garden or farmers market tomatillos AND if you’re really lucky red jalapeños, the sauce will be slightly sweet. I’ve done this several times and my daughter (then 12) devours the salsa
Pati Jinich
Dec 26
🙂
Gary
Jul 18
What size pan did you cook it in?
Pati Jinich
Jul 19
Depends which pan is clean 😉…any large casserole dish will work great, Gary.
Angel Washington st.
Jun 21
Fire meal after a smoke out
Pati Jinich
Jun 23
I hope you enjoyed the casserole, Angel.
Rosie
Mar 20
If you use prepared masa, how much in lbs.?
Thanks
Pati Jinich
Mar 29
About a pound….
Marie
Dec 22
Oh! Not sure what i did wrong! My tamal dough came out dense and dry, but the chicken filling was delicious!
Pati
Jan 01
Oh I’m glad you enjoyed the filling, Marie! Next time, try adding more chicken broth and lard, and whip the masa longer until it is super fluffy and puffy.
Jeff Brown
Oct 26
I love salsa verse!! So far I have only used it with enchiladas. I also love poblana peppers and I am one American that uses them exclusively instead of green bell peppers. I never tried making tamales, but this recipe sounds like a good place to start. Somehow I think a couple of poblanos will find their way into my product of pollo salsa verde tamals.
Pati
Oct 30
Oh it’s a great place to start, Jeff! I hope you love the tamales…and adding poblanos is a great idea.
Lily
Sep 26
Hi Pati:
I love tamales and they are hard to find in Vancouver. After watching your show, you gave me the incentive to make my own. This casserole is so delicious I’ve already made it 3 times. My husband enjoys eating it too. Just wondering if I could omit the lard or oil when making the dough as some of my friends are watching their fat intake. What is the purpose of adding lard?
Thanks.
Pati
Oct 18
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoy the casserole, Lily! The tamales need some kind of fat to make the masa puff and be fluffy. The lard can be substituted with seasoned oil or even coconut oil. You can also reduce the fat a little but it will have different results.
rokosnyp@gmail.com
Aug 03
hola pati, i plan to make this tamal casserole for my weekend trip with my girlfriends. i was wondering if lining the casserole dish with corn husk and a layer on top then bake the casserole in a water bath then remove from oven the last 15-20 mins to add cream and cheese. do you think it would work out ok? kinda like one big tamale! i would reheat it in a water bath too!
can’t wait to try it, patty
Pati
Aug 08
I don’t think it would work because it is so much content! I’d either make individual tamales (http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/chicken-in-green-salsa-tamal/) or bake in the casserole…
Barbcrooks1413@gmail.com
Jul 27
Can the tamal casserole be made ahead of time and baked later? Or baked and reheated later?
Pati
Aug 02
I would make it ahead of time and bake it later…. but if you bake it and have leftovers, they can be reheated too! (Just cover it when you reheat it so it doesn’t dry out).
Emily
Aug 24
Hello! I wanted to share what I’ve tried with this as I’m very much a make-ahead, freeze ahead cook. I made and froze separately the green salsa, chicken, and masa ( I spread the masa out in a rectangle on a lined cookie sheet, froze solid, then wrapped it well. It’s a little tricky to transfer to the casserole once thawed, but any places where you have to patch it will be covered by sour cream and cheese : ) ). I later thawed all the components, warmed the chicken in the sauce, assembled, and baked. I think the masa is a tiny bit softer this way, but it’s still delicious. My brother’s family (visiting from California) LOVED it, and a day or two later everyone enjoyed the reheated leftovers as well. Not quite the same texture as the first day, but still good. I’ve also frozen squares of leftover casserole and reheated them for quick work-day lunches. I just love that I can have a wonderful “real” tamale taste with the ease of cooking a casserole!
Pati
Aug 24
Thank you for sharing, Emily! And I’m so happy everyone loved the casserole.
Bridget Gethins
Jun 16
Love this dish! I kept mixing the masa until it floated in the glass. I used crisco and butter. Next time I am hunting for the lard. Thank you for such a wonderful show. And this delicious dish tamales casserole.
Pati
Jun 18
Thank YOU Bridget.
Deborah
May 02
I LOVE tamales, and I can’t wait to make this. Do you have any suggestions for a vegetable/vegetarian filling for this? I am new to Mexican cooking, and I am not sure what combination would taste good. Zucchini and tomatoes? Thank you.
Pati
May 04
Oh so many great veggies would go with these…choose your favorite and enjoy Deborah!
Gee
Jul 18
Deborah my family loves when I take chopped spinach leaves, corn, and some chunks of pepperjack cheese and actually mix it into the masa as a vegitarian option and we serve it with a salsa verde and sour cream. But I have had tamales that come with a slice or two of each of: potato, tomato, onion, peas, green beans, corn, and jalapeno (or not)
Pati
Jul 20
Sounds yum!
Cecilia Wauschek
Apr 08
Can u use pork meat instead that’s been cooked in broth and seasoning and then put the cooked meat on top and proceed with the rest
Pati
Apr 09
Of course!
laura ovalle
Mar 09
does the cooking time vary depending the cooking dish ? i have had bad experiences with glass casserole dishes! by the way me and my 3 year old daughter love your show!
Pati
Mar 12
Any large baking dish will work. Say hello to your daughter for me!
Rayna
Jan 06
Hola Pati! I came across this recipe in your cookbook, “Mexican Today”. I’ve never had success with recipes calling for masa, it’s always so heavy and too dense to enjoy. I followed your instructions, alternating the broth and masa harina, along with beating for a good 10-15 minutes, and I was so proud of the end result! Light, fluffy, tender tamal perfection; I couldn’t believe I made this. I can’t wait to experiment with different fillings. This is a great dish for warming the incredibly cold nights we are enduring here in the Northeast. Many thanks!
Pati
Jan 08
That is so awesome!!! Thank YOU Rayna!
dolores
Oct 27
Dear Pati, the Casserole is sooooo delish, but I used too much salt, and it was ruined-we couldn’t eat it. I made evr’ything from scratch like your recipe says, but I thought I knew better, and put too much salt. But the whole family decided we would all take at least one bite, and drink water after. hahahahaha Lol…. the flavor was great. This recipe is work, so I’ll have to wait a couple of weaks till I’m in the mood again, to work in the kitchen for a couple of hours. Oh well-the flavor is beyond! Will try again. Thx for the recipe
Pati
Oct 30
Oh no! But I’m sure it will be better next time :).
Aimee
Sep 14
This recipe is bomb! I never had the right things on hand to attempt tamales and I saw the episode with this recipe and tried it right away. Huge hit with my family, and now my extended family. Keep the awesome show and recipes coming Pati:)
Pati
Sep 15
Thank you so much Aimee!!!
Rebecca Van Horn
Aug 14
This is so good! Reheats beautifully; my husband and I are eating leftovers tonight!
Pati
Aug 14
Yay!
Rebecca Van Horn
Aug 13
Oh ny goodness! The casserole is beyond delicious! And I’ll be making both it and the salsa verde again! My husband and I are enjoying this for dinner as I write – so so so good!
Pati
Aug 14
Super!
Karen Ricca
Apr 30
Pati, this casserole was so darn good my family ate every bit of it. I tried it with the chicken of course but I also made it with a beef roast and red chili. DELICIOUS!!! My only problem was that it stuck to the bottom of the baking dish so I’m going to try using parchment paper. Can’t wait to eat this again.
Pati
May 01
So glad you made the casserole your own and enjoyed it!
jennifer kaye
Sep 30
My Mexican mother in law and I called each other right away during the marathon and couldn’t believe what we were seeing. This looks amazing! We can’t wait to try this near Christmas!
Pati
Oct 04
Thank you so much for watching the show!!! I hope you like it. =)
Jason Jacobs
Sep 18
We saw this during the marathon on Create, and my wife and I looked at each other and immediately said we were making it. Can’t wait to see how it turns out. 🙂
Pati
Sep 26
Yes, let me know, Jason! Hello to your wife!
Jason Jacobs
Sep 26
Nos salió demasiado rico! Lo llevamos a una cena familiar en nuestra iglesia (no son de comer comida mexicana normalmente), y nos dijeron que era muy muy rico. 🙂 Gracias por la receta! Aunque, la masa no flotó…
Pati
Oct 11
Uy me da mucho gusto! Bueno, la masa es caprichosa a veces…
Pam
Feb 09
Hi, Pati
I made the Chicken in Salsa Verde Tamal Casserole tonight and had a problem making the tamal. I used the seasoned oil but could not get it to the white and spongy stage. Where did I go wrong? The finished dish was delicious.
Pam
Pati
Feb 10
Hi Pam, the dough gets less spongy when using the seasoned oil rather than the lard or vegetable shortening. So no worries, specially if you loved the dish!
Paul
Jan 17
Hola Pati!
I am so grateful to you for sharing this wonderful idea with us! I am going to make this for my darling Mama’s birthday dinner. She loves tamales, and loves to help make the dinner, but can’t use a steamer because she’s in a wheelchair and can’t reach into the pot! SO we are going to make it this way and have a wonderful time.
You are a gem, can’t wait!
Pati
Jan 25
This warms my heart, Paul. Good luck!
Ninfa
Jan 14
Hello, Pati!
Looking at this recipe brought to mind another recipe that my mom used to make. I never paid attention how she made it and after passing, I’ve craved it. Just recently a family member knew the recipe I described. She said it is called, “Huevo perdido”. I tried making it, but I think I add too much masa. Have you heard of it or have this recipe to share?
Dolores
Nov 25
Hi Pati! I finally made this Casserole! Wow really good-I work on Christmas day, so I’ll be making this again for potluck-thank you for all your wonderful Mexican dishes you bring
Matt Cordell
Nov 06
Gracias, Pati– fuimos al Cardenal. Me encanto! Su chocolate caliente y su pan me gustaron mucho. No tuvimos tiempo para ir al Emporio. Next time… It was my first time in Mexico City and I loved it. They even understood my Spanish 🙂 Muchisimas gracias por su recomendacion del Cardenal. Despues fui a pintar mi cara para Dia de los Muertos. Que tenga buen dia y gracias de neuvo!!! — Matt de Phoenix, AZ
Matt Cordell
Oct 26
Hi Pati– vamos a la Ciudad de Mexico el 28 de esta mes. On one of your shows, you visited a tamal factory in el D.F. No puedo encontrar el programa… como se llama el lugar? Gracias! Vamos tambien al Restaurante Cardenal!
Pati
Oct 31
Que increible! El Cardenal es de mis restaurantes favoritos! La tamalería se llama Emporio y también tiene un restaurante. Que disfruten!
sandy
Oct 25
Patty como más o menos cuantas libras de masa usastes para el casserole?
Jackie
Sep 21
Patti,
Hola, I am so excited to make your tamale casserole for my mother-in-law’s birthday! The only problem is I don’t know what to serve with it, if anything. What do you suggest?
Pati
Sep 25
Of course! You can serve it with any rice on the side (yellow, white, red…) also black beans are great! A green salad works too…
Sandi
Aug 30
Saw the show today.instantly craved my much missed tamales! Had everything on hand to make the casserole, so that’s what we had for dinner! Mmm que rico! Como siempre! Gracias por toda las recetas tan super deliciosas!!!!!
Pati
Sep 06
Con gusto, Sandi!
Kim T
Aug 18
Hi, Pati! One of my favorite things in this world are green corn tamales. Do I just make the masa sweeter and put strips of roasted chilies in the middle of the casserole? Love your show as always.
Pati
Aug 25
Hola Kim, Yes, you could add roasted poblano chile strips and use the masa from the Uchepos recipe (http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/2015/04/sweet-corn-tamales/) to make it more like green corn tamales.
mary ybarra
Jul 03
pati we made your tamales and green rice it was so good thank you from Texas.soooo great an easy.
Pati
Jul 05
Great to hear! Send my best to Texas!
Veronica McLinden
Jul 02
Pati, I really dislike cilantro. I can handle dried coriander or seeds, just not the leafy stuff. What can I substitute in the Salsa Verde recipe?
Pati
Jul 05
You can either just skip the cilantro, or substitute with another green herb of your choice, like chives or tarragon or even mint!
Gabe Townsend
Jun 13
Pati, how about a show using New Mexico green chile, I think this has such a unique flavor, smell, and heat. I love using that chile from Hatch New Mexico. I know you can have a great show issue no that with the skills and creativity you have.
Pati
Jun 14
Great idea, Gabe!
Gabe Townsend
Jun 09
Love the tamal recipe. We live in ABQ and use NM green chile came out great!
GT
Pati
Jun 12
Thank you for making it!!
George Samsom
May 19
Pati
Watching your brilliant program on tamales, lovely stuff.
We are going to try your recipes.
My wife was watching and wanted to know where your
Colorful dishes came from
Thanks
George Samson
Pati
May 22
Hola George, The dishes are made by Le Creuset! Thank you so much for watching & I hope you both enjoy the tamales.