Chicken Tamales with Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce

Chicken Tamales with Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce might be just the Mexican recipe you are searching for. This recipe makes 24 servings with 161 calories, 6g of protein, and 10g of fat each. For 58 cents per serving, this recipe covers 6% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe is liked by 206 foodies and cooks. Head to the store and pick up tomatillos, salt and pepper, skinless boneless chicken breasts, and a few other things to make it today. It is a good option if you're following a gluten free diet. It is brought to you by Epicurious. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 45 minutes. With a spoonacular score of 31%, this dish is not so spectacular. Chicken With Tomatillo And Cilantro Sauce, Layered Chicken Enchiladas with Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce, and Saffron Chicken and Sausage Tamales with Cilantro Cream are very similar to this recipe.

Servings: 24

 

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 bay leaves

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons chicken broth (reserved from poaching chicken)

1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, tender stems and leaves

About 30 corn husks

1 clove garlic

2 to 3 jalapeños, stemmed and halved

2 1/2 cups masa harina (cornmeal for tamales; Maseca brand is recommended)

Mexican crema, homemadeor store-bought

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

Salt and black pepper

1 pound (about 3 breasts) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 cup fresh lard or solid vegetable shortening

8 tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed, and quartered

2 tablespoons water

Equipment:

sauce pan

frying pan

blender

pot

paper towels

hand mixer

mixing bowl

aluminum foil

plastic wrap

microwave

bowl

Cooking instruction summary:

Preparation Poach and Shred the Chicken Combine the onion, garlic, salt, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breasts, bay leaves, and oregano and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken, partially covered, for 35 minutes, or until cooked through. To check for doneness, slit the chicken in half to make sure the interior is no longer pink. Allow the chicken to cool in the broth. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the pan. Strain and reserve the broth. Shred the chicken by hand by pulling apart the fibers of the chicken with your fingers and set aside. Make the Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce Combine the tomatillos, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, and water in a blender and purée until well blended. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until the onion is limp and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatillo mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. Allow to cook for 3 more minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Set aside. Prepare the Corn Husks Bring a large pot of water to a boil then remove from heat. Add the corn husks, making sure to submerge them under water, and cover the pot. Soak the corn husks in the pot for 20 minutes. They should be soft and flexible, and take on a deep beige color. Remove the corn husks from the water and wrap them in a damp paper towel until you are ready to use them. Prepare the Tamal Dough To make the masa, combine the masa harina with 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth and mix well. The masa should have the consistency of a stiff dough. Set aside. Put the lard in a mixing bowl. Beat the lard with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add half of the masa and beat until well blended. Add the 3 tablespoons of the reserved chicken broth and the remaining masa and continue beating until a teaspoon of the dough dropped into a cup of cold water floats, about 10 minutes. If after 15 minutes of constant beating your dough does not float, move on (despite it not floating, the dough will be fine). Sprinkle the baking powder and the salt over the dough and mix in well. Assemble the Tamales Place a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you. Spread 2 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half (wide side) of the corn husk, leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the left and right sides. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling lengthwise down the center of the dough. Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and unite them. Allow the dough to surround the filling by pinching together the corn husk where the dough comes together. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the tamal. Fold down the empty top section of the cornhusk and secure it by tying a thin strip of corn husk around the tamal (the top will be open). Repeat this process until all the corn husks or tamal dough are used up. Steam the Tamales Create a tamal steamer by crumpling a large piece of aluminum foil into a large ball. Place the foil ball in the center of a large saucepan and arrange the tamales "standing up" around it. You can stand tamales in front of each other; just make sure that the open end of the tamal is facing upward. Pour in 1/2 inch of water. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes. Serve Serve warm accompanied by Mexican crema. COOKING NOTES INGREDIENTSLard versus ShorteningFor a truly authentic taste, you must use freshly rendered lard. If you buy commercial lard, make sure it is fresh, refrigerated lard; otherwise use vegetable shortening, which still produces a very good tamal.TECHNIQUESPoaching ChickenYou will end up with a juicier chicken if you allow it to cool in the broth. Make sure you save the broth, because it has a wonderful flavor that you will want to use when making the tamal dough.Working with Corn HusksBe careful not to open corn husks when they are dry because they will split and break. After soaking them in hot water, wrap in a damp paper towel until you are ready to use them. If they cool down and dry out before you are ready to use them, submerge them in hot water for a few minutes until pliable.ADVANCE PREPARATIONReheating TamalesCooked tamales can be refrigerated for a couple of days and reheated in a steamer or in the microwave. If you are using the microwave, put the tamales in a bowl and pour in 1/4 inch of water. Seal with plastic wrap and heat for 2 minutes. The steam created within the plastic will reheat the tamales. If reheating in a steamer, recreate the tamal steamer explained in the recipe and steam for 5 minutes.Assembled but uncooked tamales can be frozen. When you are ready to serve them, steam them straight from the freezer for 1 hour 20 minutes (twice the cooking time). Do not defrost before cooking. Reprinted with permission from Simply Mexican by Lourdes Castro, © April 2009 Ten Speed Press

 

Step by step:


1. Poach and Shred the Chicken

2. Combine the onion, garlic, salt, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.

3. Add the chicken breasts, bay leaves, and oregano and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken, partially covered, for 35 minutes, or until cooked through. To check for doneness, slit the chicken in half to make sure the interior is no longer pink.

4. Allow the chicken to cool in the broth. When cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the pan. Strain and reserve the broth. Shred the chicken by hand by pulling apart the fibers of the chicken with your fingers and set aside.

5. Make the Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce

6. Combine the tomatillos, jalapeños, cilantro, garlic, and water in a blender and purée until well blended.

7. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat.

8. When the oil is hot, add the onion and sauté until the onion is limp and translucent, about 8 minutes.

9. Add the tomatillo mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

10. Add the shredded chicken to the sauce and stir to coat. Allow to cook for 3 more minutes. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Set aside.

11. Prepare the Corn Husks

12. Bring a large pot of water to a boil then remove from heat.

13. Add the corn husks, making sure to submerge them under water, and cover the pot. Soak the corn husks in the pot for 20 minutes. They should be soft and flexible, and take on a deep beige color.

14. Remove the corn husks from the water and wrap them in a damp paper towel until you are ready to use them.

15. Prepare the Tamal Dough

16. To make the masa, combine the masa harina with 2 cups of the reserved chicken broth and mix well. The masa should have the consistency of a stiff dough. Set aside.

17. Put the lard in a mixing bowl. Beat the lard with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.

18. Add half of the masa and beat until well blended.

19. Add the 3 tablespoons of the reserved chicken broth and the remaining masa and continue beating until a teaspoon of the dough dropped into a cup of cold water floats, about 10 minutes. If after 15 minutes of constant beating your dough does not float, move on (despite it not floating, the dough will be fine).

20. Sprinkle the baking powder and the salt over the dough and mix in well.

21. Assemble the Tamales

22. Place a corn husk lengthwise in front of you with the wide side closest to you.

23. Spread 2 tablespoons of the dough all over the bottom half (wide side) of the corn husk, leaving about a 1-inch-wide border on the left and right sides.

24. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling lengthwise down the center of the dough. Pick up the two long sides of the cornhusk and unite them. Allow the dough to surround the filling by pinching together the corn husk where the dough comes together.

25. Roll both sides of the corn husks in the same direction over the tamal. Fold down the empty top section of the cornhusk and secure it by tying a thin strip of corn husk around the tamal (the top will be open).

26. Repeat this process until all the corn husks or tamal dough are used up.

27. Steam the Tamales

28. Create a tamal steamer by crumpling a large piece of aluminum foil into a large ball.

29. Place the foil ball in the center of a large saucepan and arrange the tamales "standing up" around it. You can stand tamales in front of each other; just make sure that the open end of the tamal is facing upward.

30. Pour in 1/2 inch of water. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer for 40 minutes.

31. Serve

32. Serve warm accompanied by Mexican crema.

33. COOKING NOTES

34. INGREDIENTSLard versus Shortening

35. For a truly authentic taste, you must use freshly rendered lard. If you buy commercial lard, make sure it is fresh, refrigerated lard; otherwise use vegetable shortening, which still produces a very good tamal.TECHNIQUESPoaching Chicken

36. You will end up with a juicier chicken if you allow it to cool in the broth. Make sure you save the broth, because it has a wonderful flavor that you will want to use when making the tamal dough.Working with Corn Husks

37. Be careful not to open corn husks when they are dry because they will split and break. After soaking them in hot water, wrap in a damp paper towel until you are ready to use them. If they cool down and dry out before you are ready to use them, submerge them in hot water for a few minutes until pliable.ADVANCE PREPARATIONReheating Tamales

38. Cooked tamales can be refrigerated for a couple of days and reheated in a steamer or in the microwave. If you are using the microwave, put the tamales in a bowl and pour in 1/4 inch of water. Seal with plastic wrap and heat for 2 minutes. The steam created within the plastic will reheat the tamales. If reheating in a steamer, recreate the tamal steamer explained in the recipe and steam for 5 minutes.Assembled but uncooked tamales can be frozen. When you are ready to serve them, steam them straight from the freezer for 1 hour 20 minutes (twice the cooking time). Do not defrost before cooking.

39. Reprinted with permission from Simply Mexican by Lourdes Castro, © April 2009 Ten Speed Press


Nutrition Information:

Quickview
160k Calories
5g Protein
10g Total Fat
11g Carbs
2% Health Score
Limit These
Calories
160k
8%

Fat
10g
16%

  Saturated Fat
1g
12%

Carbohydrates
11g
4%

  Sugar
1g
1%

Cholesterol
20mg
7%

Sodium
544mg
24%

Get Enough Of These
Protein
5g
12%

Vitamin B3
3mg
17%

Vitamin B1
0.2mg
13%

Selenium
7µg
11%

Vitamin B6
0.22mg
11%

Phosphorus
85mg
9%

Vitamin K
7µg
7%

Vitamin B2
0.12mg
7%

Folate
28µg
7%

Iron
1mg
6%

Vitamin C
4mg
6%

Calcium
53mg
5%

Potassium
178mg
5%

Manganese
0.1mg
5%

Magnesium
19mg
5%

Fiber
1g
5%

Vitamin E
0.63mg
4%

Vitamin B5
0.37mg
4%

Vitamin A
171IU
3%

Zinc
0.38mg
3%

Copper
0.05mg
2%

covered percent of daily need
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Food Trivia

Cooking food is one of the great revolutionary innovations of history because it not only transformed the way we prepare food, but because it also became a center of cultural communion and organized society.

Food Joke

I tried not to be biased in hiring a handicapped person, but his placement counselor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. I had never had a mentally-handicapped employee, and I wasn't sure I wanted one. I wasn't sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy, and had the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Down Syndrome. I wasn't worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don't generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade. The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids traveling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded "truck stop germ;" the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks. I shouldn't have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot. After that, I really didn't care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was convincing him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus the dishes and glasses onto a cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met. Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home. That's why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie had missed work. He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Down Syndrome often had heart problems at an early age so this wasn't unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months. A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery and doing fine. Frannie, my head waitress, let out a war whoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news. Belle Ringer, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of the 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Belle Ringer a withering look. He grinned. "OK, Frannie, what was that all about?" he asked. "We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay." "I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?" Frannie quickly told Belle Ringer and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie's surgery, then sighed. "Yeah, I'm glad he is going to be OK," she said, "but I don't know how he and his mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they're barely getti.

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