Chicken in Green Salsa Tamales

Name: Chicken in Green Salsa Tamales
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup lard, vegetable shortening, or seasoned oil ((see note at end of recipe) ); 1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt (or to taste); 1 teaspoon cold water; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 pound (about 3 1/4 cups) instant corn masa flour ((masa harina) for tortillas or tamales); 3 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth (add more if needed ); 1 batch salsa verde; 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (from homemade chicken broth ); 25 dried corn husks (soaking in hot water)

Tamales de Pollo en Salsa Verde

Recipe Yield

18 tamales

Cooking time

1 hour 20 minutes

Rate this recipe

4.43 from 7 votes

Ingredients

For the tamal dough or masa:

3/4 cup lard, vegetable shortening, or seasoned oil (see note at end of recipe)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt or to taste
1 teaspoon cold water
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pound (about 3 1/4 cups) instant corn masa flour (masa harina) for tortillas or tamales
3 1/2 cups homemade chicken broth add more if needed

For the filling:

1 batch salsa verde
2 cups shredded cooked chicken from homemade chicken broth

To assemble the tamales:

25 dried corn husks soaking in hot water

To Prepare

To make the tamal dough or masa:

Place lard, vegetable shortening or seasoned oil in an electric mixer and beat until very light, about 1 minute. Add salt and 1 teaspoon of cold water and continue beating until it is white and spongy, a couple more minutes. Add the baking powder and then alternate adding the instant corn masa and the chicken broth a little at a time. Continue beating until dough is homogeneous and as fluffy as can get. You know the tamal masa is ready when you can drop 1/2 teaspoon of the masa in a cup of cold water and it floats.

To make the filling:

Combine the salsa verde with the cooked shredded chicken.

To assemble the tamales:

Soak the dried corn husks in hot water for a couple minutes, or until they are pliable, and drain. Lay out a corn husk with the tapering end towards you. Spread about 3 tablespoons of masa into about a 2 to 3-inch square, the layer should be about 1/4-inch thick, leaving a border of at least 1/2-inch on the sides. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the middle of the masa square.
Pick up the two long sides of the corn husk and bring them together (you will see how the masa starts to swaddle the filling) and fold the folded sides to one side, rolling them in same direction around tamal. Fold up the empty section of the husk, with the tapering end, from the bottom up. This will form a closed bottom and the top will be left open.
Assemble all the tamales and place them as vertically as you can in a container.

To prepare the tamalera or steamer:

Place water in the bottom pan of a steamer (so that water is under the steamer) and bring it to a simmer. Line the steamer with one or two layers of soaked corn husks.

To cook the tamales:

When you have all tamales ready, place them, again as vertically as you can, into the prepared steamer with the open end on top. If there is space left in the steamer, tuck in some corn husks, so the tamales won’t dance around. Cover with more corn husks, and steam covered with a lid for 50 minutes to an hour. You know the tamales are ready when they come easily free from the husks. They will still be moist, and as they are released from the husks, you will see the moisture, like when you remove good moist muffins from their paper baking cups.
Finished tamales will stay warm for about 2 hours in the steamer. They can be made ahead several days before and stored in refrigerator, well wrapped. They can also be frozen for months. In either case, reheat in a steamer. For refrigerated tamales, it will take about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes for frozen tamales.
Note: To make seasoned oil, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup vegetable oil over medium heat, add a thick slice of onion and 4 garlic cloves. Cook for 15 minutes until completely browned. Remove onion and garlic before using the oil.

Comments

84comments inChicken in Green Salsa Tamales

Alei

Jan 02

Happy new year Pati!!! I tried your recipe and the tamales came out really good! I made a batch with veg shortening and a batch with lard. Both great and your salsa verde is the best one!!! Have a great year 2024!!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 14
  
  So happy to hear you enjoyed the tamales Alei! Happy New Year!
  
Elvia Hernandez

Dec 15

Thank you Pati I never make tamales before but I will be able to do it thanks to you step to step recipe appreciate it and Happy Holidays for you and your beautiful family 🤗🙏

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 20
  
  And the same to you and yours Elvia!
  
Paula B.

Dec 12

You are such a great cook and teacher. I love your authentic recipes. And your show. Gracias!!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 19
  
  Thanks to you for your kindness Paula 😉
  
2. Susana R
  
  Dec 25
  
  I made these tamales yesterday and was somewhat disappointed. The masa was very bland. The only thing that gives it flavor is the salsa verde I poured over them. The chicken filling was fine but the masa definitely needed color and flavor. Was a good base but next time I make them I’ll definitely add some puréed red chilies and more salt to the masa.
  
  1. Pati Jinich
    
    Jan 14
    
    Sounds like a great idea Susana!
    
Anonymous

Dec 12

MY USUAL YUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!
EVERYONE IN THIS PUEBLO, COLO LIBRARY, JUST SAID , YEAH, THAT SOUNDS REALLY NICE! FANS OF YOU NOW…
TAKE CARE, LOVE TO YOU AND YOURS, THANKS FOR ALL THE GOOD FOOD YOU SHARE. REALLY. YOU ARE BLESSED.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! FROM CAROL F. AND FRIENDS.
I THINK I’M GOING TO SEND YOUR WEB SITE TO THE DOJ, RIGHT NOW. THEY NEED AN UPLIFT TOO.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 19
  
  Thanks so much Karen! So happy to hear everyone enjoyed the tamales!
  
SHARYN

Nov 18

do you have a recipe for authentic Mexican tamales that are cooked in casserole style? having Every ingredient of a traditional tamale and authentic taste as if steamed in corn husks ?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 21
  
  Hey Sharin, you can do almost exactly this same recipe in a casserole, here I have it for you 😉 https://patijinich.com/chicken-and-salsa-verde-tamal-casserole/
  
Bob

Nov 08

Which salsa verde is used for tamales

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Nov 09
  
  This is the recipe Bob, enjoy! https://patijinich.com/salsa-verde/
  
Jessica Frieboes

Jan 23

10/10! Absolutely fabulous, Pati! Thank you so much for the recipe. My family loved it so much that they asked me to make it again tomorrow 😁🙌🏻

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 30
  
  Yay! This makes me SO happy!
  
Teresa Jimenez

Sep 14

Que marravilloso receta!! Muchisimas gracias! These are for sure to be a hit for my nephews bday!!💯💙💙💙

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Sep 23
  
  I hope everybody liked hem at the party!
  
Anonymous

Sep 08

Best food ever

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Sep 11
  
  Yay, thanks!
  
DEBORAH HILL

Jan 22

Pati…this is my favorite tamale as well! I also love cheese and jalapeno. Thank you for this recipe…I will certainly try it! I love your show, you make cooking Mexican dishes so easy👍 By the way, you and your husband must be so proud of Alan. You guys are awesome parents!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 23
  
  Thanks for so much kindness Deborah! So happy you have been tuning in and enjoying the show!
  
Lourdes

Jan 19

Sounds like my moms, can’t wait to make them. Love how you season the oil.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 22
  
  Let me know how you like them Lourdes 😉
  
Julie

Jan 01

Hi Pati, I’ve been making tamales at Christmas time on and off for years but the last couple years they just have not turned out very good. Yesterday I exactly followed your recipe and the turned out PERFECTLY!! Little pillows of deliciousness. I used vegetable shortening (Crisco) and filled them with shredded chicken and mole. Absolutely delicious. Thank you for such a wonderful and detailed recipe that guarantees success!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Jan 02
  
  So glad you liked the recipe and enjoyed your tamales Julie, yay!
  
Robert ( PD Food and Wine )

Dec 23

Pati: What a dream adventure having overloaded tortas with you and your sisters or entertained by you on a few TicToks in ’22. How wonderful a sight they would be. After seeing that beautiful picture of the Salsa Verde and how warmly you invite us into Tamale season; I want to try a hand at these Chicken in Green Salsa festive treasures. Surely they must make Spirits rise when served hot from the steamer. What I’d like to see you visit, —– The Panaderia that makes fresh Pineapple Cubiletes and then feature the recipe in an upcoming newsletter. Wishing you many years of continued success.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 26
  
  Thanks so much Robert, this is very sweet of you. Enjoy the tamales 😉
  
Julia Pennington

Dec 07

Thank you for this beautiful recipe

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 28
  
  Glad you like it Julia!
  
Michelle

Dec 06

Pati
Mom an I would watch your show when she was alive she loved it an so do I still watching it Thanks for the wonderful show an

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 28
  
  Gracias Michelle, big hug to you 🙂
  
velia

Dec 06

Estos tamales son excepcionales. Usa tu receta para preparar la masa, y use para el relleno: queso fresco, rajas salteadas con cebolla, y una rebanada de queso Manchego.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 28
  
  Que rico, que bueno que te gustaron Velia 😉
  
Paul reck

Dec 06

They were good!!!!!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Dec 28
  
  Yay!!!
  
Anonymous

Oct 07

Hi Pati,
Just want to say how good I felt after making these tamales. They were so good, not so pretty,(my tamale rolling skills need more practice) . Thank you for sharing your knowledge and skills around the world. I somehow felt like I was in Mexico for a few minutes while making, steaming, then eating these. I love all things Mexican. Thank you.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Oct 12
  
  Thanks so much for your kindness, SO glad you liked these tamales, yay!
  
Xochitle Talavera

Apr 05

Sounds wonderful. I am trying to keep our traditions alive with the family. My son suffers from seizures and flying on airplanes is difficult for him. We will be driving from So Cal to St Louis to visit fam and will be making tamales and continuing the Mexican tradition. Love your show🥰

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Apr 11
  
  Hope you enjoy the tamales Xochitle, have fun in Cali! Hugs to you and your son 😉
  
MARIA

Mar 31

GRACIAS PATU HERMOSA POR TANTAS RECETAS MAGNIFICAS Y HAPPY BIRTHDAY:), GRACIAS.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Apr 11
  
  Que amable Maria! Mil gracias por los buenos deseos, un abrazo 😉
  
Farmer Kyle

Feb 08

Hey Pati!

If I don’t have instant corn masa for tamales, can I just use regular masa harina? I remember hearing you saying something about the instant stuff having extra baking powder in it. Can I just add more baking powder to accomplish the same thing, or does plain old masa harina work fine in this recipe? Muchas gracias!

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Feb 10
  
  Hey Farmer Kyle! By all means use regular masa harina, no problem, and yes, add a pinch of baking powder for fluffiness 🙂
  
Sylvia See

May 11

When beating the lard, is it better to use a whip attachment or paddle attachment on a stand mixer?

1. Pati Jinich
  
  May 23
  
  I like to use my whisk attachment. Here’s a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyR8kno58GU&t=8s
  
Jo

Mar 14

The “print” does not work for the casserole recipe.

1. Pati Jinich
  
  Mar 18
  
  Thank you for letting me know, Jo. We will have it fixed soon.
  
Jon Sillman

Feb 25

Hi Pati- I recently tried your recipe but I could not get the Masa to float in ice water. I followed the instructions exactly, but I am not sure why it wouldn’t float, no matter how long I whipped the masa. Any thoughts?

1. Pati
  
  Feb 25
  
  Oh don’t worry if it doesn’t float, Jon. Masa is capricious and sometimes it just won’t float no matter how much it is whipped.
  
Ana Bourgeois

Jan 14

Hi Pati.
Thanks for your wonderfull show and all your recipes.
I tried the tamales recipe and after more than 3 hours of steaming they never cooked. I used a big 25 quart tamalera pot and put husks on the empty part so that the tamales were upright. It steamed really good however the tamales did not cook i used Maseca. Does the brand of the flour or the size of the pot has anything to do with it ???
Also could i have the recipe for CHILEATOLE that people make and sell in Puebla after it rains. Thank you

1. Pati
  
  Jan 23
  
  The mass may have had too much liquid is my guess, do you want to try them again, Ana?
  
Adoracion Macias

Jan 10

Pati!

Amo todas tus recetas debo decir jaja
Puedo adaptar esta receta a tamales de frijoles con queso? 🙂

Gracias!

1. Pati
  
  Jan 21
  
  Claro!
  
Sandra Batista

Jan 09

Hi Pati, I love your show and all your recipes. Can I prepare the tamales with butter? How much?
Thanks,

1. Pati
  
  Jan 10
  
  Thank you Sandra! For the tamales, I recommend the seasoned vegetable oil as a substitute for lard, but you are welcome to try them with butter.
  
  1. Ann Mc.
    
    Feb 03
    
    I use olive oil and my tamales turn out fine (in my opinion!) The masa doesn’t get really fluffy, but I like a dense masa anyway. I love your generous attitude, Pati.
    
    1. Pati
      
      Feb 06
      
      Thank you so much Ann!
      
Donna Mack

May 05

She spoke of a cassorole after making the tamales. Could I get the directions. Same ingredients.

1. Pati
  
  May 06
  
  Here you go Donna: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/chicken-and-salsa-verde-tamal-casserole/
  
Rasheeda.H.Elahie

Feb 19

Can I get the recipe for the salsa verde?

1. Pati
  
  Feb 20
  
  Here you go Rasheeda: http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/salsa-verde/
  
Kalena

Jan 14

What do you if the masa does not float to the top of vessel of cold water?

1. Pati
  
  Jan 18
  
  Oh you need to beat the mixture some more… but don’t worry if it doesn’t float, maybe you are testing the floating tip with too much masa 😉
  
Gina

Jan 05

To make ahead, do you refrigerate or freeze after steaming for an hour?

1. Pati
  
  Jan 05
  
  You can do either! Wrap them well and keep them in the fridge for several days or in the freezer for months. In either case, reheat in a steamer. For refrigerated tamales, it will take about 20 minutes and about 45 minutes for frozen tamales.
  
Tish

Jan 04

Pati, if I were to make this recipe casserole style, is a 9×13 dish the correct size?

1. Pati
  
  Jan 05
  
  That should work!
  
Michy

Dec 26

Omg looks delicious I can’t wait to make them thank you. I need the chilaquiles receta

1. Pati
  
  Dec 27
  
  Here you go! http://patijinich.com/pati_2020/recipe/green-chilaquiles-in-roasted-tomatillo-sauce/
  
Yared

Dec 25

Wow My tamales were a success, we just ate them for dinner with some delicious chocolate caliente! Thanks for your amazingly delicious recipes Pati, Merry Christmas!! ( I wish I was able to post the picture I took)

1. Pati
  
  Dec 26
  
  Oh you an post a picture to my Facebook page…I would love to them!
  
Manda

Oct 11

Dear Pati,
How would you use fresh masa from the local tortilleria instead of the dry masa? Just leave out the chicken stock?
My family and I love your show and every recipe we’ve tried from it has become a favorite!
Thank you for making our lives more delicious!

1. Pati
  
  Oct 13
  
  Thank you so much Manda! You can use the fresh masa and then follow the recipe adding the lard/vegetable shortening/seasoned oil, the chicken broth (or other broth), and the salt, and beat the mixture for a long time until it becomes puffy and floats.
  
Nancy Edwaards

Oct 08

Hi Pati, I just made your tamales and I am sooooo happy. They taste great. However I do have a question – When I have finished steaming are they still suppose to be a little mushy? Do they harden up as they sit? I have steamed them 70 mins.
My only other try with making tamales was about 30 years ago and we had to throw them out for the horses. Guess what the horses wouldn’t even eat them they kicked the tamales around for sport. hee hee

1. Pati
  
  Oct 18
  
  That is so funny! Yes: tamales firm up as they set. So you can just let them sit in the pot for another hour, as long as they are covered…. they will stay super warm!
  
Carmen

Oct 02

Once you season the oil can you then use it right away or does it need to solidify again before you can beat it in a mixer

1. Pati
  
  Oct 06
  
  Great question Carmen! The oil doesn’t need to be solid…just watch out when you whip it with the rest of the ingredients. Start on a slow speed….
  
Crenshaw Axelrod

Apr 29

I absolutely adore your cooking and your show. Is it possible for you to post a note about the alternative method you mentioned when you demonstrated this recipe on your show: Tamale Casserole? The main layers are clear – masa, filling, masa. But you mentioned something about finishing the top with Salsa Verde, cream? and cheese? And for how long would you bake it? Thank you kindly!

1. Pati
  
  May 08
  
  First you bake the casserole with just the masa, filling, and masa, and covered with foil for 50 minutes. Then you add 1 cup of the salsa and top it with cream and grated cheese and bake it for another 10 minutes uncovered.
  
Theresa Rotolo

May 30

I made these for my family today…My dad loved them- he was skeptical when I told him that I was making them by hand, by myself. Very impressive to bring over for a holiday! Thank you for your show and your recipes- your excitement for the food and ingredients makes me so very happy when I watch!

1. Pati
  
  Jun 01
  
  Yay!! I’m glad they turned out!
  
Ken Clements

May 22

Dear Pati,
We had a blast making your tamales this weekend. My wife is a vegetarian so we made one batch of the chicken with salsa Verde and the other we made roasted poblano peppers and zucchini in Salsa Verde. Amazing! Thank you for teaching me this fluffy temal recipe

1. Pati
  
  May 23
  
  You are very welcome, few things compare to fluffy puffy tamales.

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