If you've always wanted to learn How to Make Tamales, but have been intimidated by the process, this video will show you step-by-step How to Make the most delicious Green Chile Chicken & Cheese Tamales! They're made with Hatch Green Chile, and this tutorial includes homemade masa. I really hope you like this recipe, and that it gives you the confidence to not just make tamales, but to make some mouthwateringly delicious ones! Read on for the full recipe and instructions. I include some Vegetarian Options at the very end.
Green Chile, Chicken & Cheese Tamales
For the Masa:
6 cups Maseca corn flour
4-5 cups chicken broth
2 cups lard
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. baking powder
For the Green Chile:
12 Hatch green chiles, roasted and peeled, seeds removed
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cup water
*1 can cream of mushroom (optional)
For the chicken:
2 - 3 lbs. chicken (approx. 5 chicken breasts)
1/2 onion
salt to taste
1 cube chicken boullion
2 bay leaves
2 cups water
cheddar cheese, cut in thick slices
corn husks
Directions:
Place chicken, onion, chicken boullion, salt and bay leaves in crockpot. Fill with 2 cups water and cook on high 2 1/2 hours. (This can also be cooked on the stovetop in a large pot for 45 minutes.) Once cooked, remove & shred chicken and set aside. Reserve chicken broth for later.
Put 12 green chiles in blender, along with 3 garlic cloves, cumin, salt, and water. Blend just long enough until you have a smooth sauce. Heat skillet over stove with approx. 1 Tbsp. oil in it. Pour chile sauce into skillet and cook approx. 5 minutes, (Mix in can of cream of mushroom if desired). Add shredded chicken to chile sauce, lower heat and let simmer 10 minutes. Take off stove and set aside. (Refrigerate if necessary.)
Soak corn husks in hot water approx. 2 hours, so they become clean and more pliable.
Prepare masa by first creaming 2 cups lard in stand mixer. This will take approx. 10-15 minutes with mixer set to medium high. In separate large bowl, mix together Maseca corn flour, baking powder and salt. When lard appears fluffy, you can begin to add corn flour mixture to the lard a little at a time and continue to mix. Begin adding chicken broth a little at a time as well. Your masa will need between 4 - 5 cups of chicken broth to get the right consistency. Continue to mix another 15 minutes. To test masa, take a tiny piece of it and drop in a glass of water. It should float back to the top. If not, try adding a little more chicken broth and continue to mix.
To begin making tamales, place water in bottom of large steam pot. Spread masa on soft side of corn husk from halfway point down to end. Place approx. 2 Tbsp. chicken chile mixture on top, add slice of cheese, and fold husk over, first on sides, then fold over bottom. Place in steam pot and continue to make other tamales until all masa is used up.
Cover pot and place on stove over medium heat. Once it begins to steam, set timer to 2 hours. Monitor to make sure water in steam pot does not dry out. If you need to add water, pour carefully along the sides of pot, and avoid getting water inside tamales. Tamales take 2 hours to be fully cooked. Enjoy!
VEGETARIAN SUBSTITUTES:
If you are vegetarian, you can follow all the same instructions, just make the following substitutions
instead of lard, substitute vegetable shortening or vegetable oil in same amounts
instead of chicken broth, substitute vegetable broth
instead of chicken, substitute 2 cans of corn kernels (the corn, green chile & cheese are a delicious combination!)
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