Chicken Chile Tamale

Note: Don’t let the Chile scare you. These are not that hot/spicey. We make them extremely mild (de-seed chiles) so the kids really enjoyed them.

Ingredients-

-15-18 ounces of corn husk

-6 cups of Maseca

-1.5 cups of lard

3 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of water

1-2 teaspoon of salt

1-2 teaspoon of baking soda

Ingredient Filling

Cheese or cheese alternative or no cheese.

30 ounces of cheese (queso fresco, Monterey Jack or mix . Cheese Alternative-Daiya or Violife) Note: cheese can be omitted. Simple apply sauce generously.

16 ounces of Shredded chicken

6 Poblano Chiles

1 Serrano Pepper

1/2 of a white onion

2 cloves of garlic

6 tomatoes (4 Roma, 2 vine)

1tsp of Chicken Bouillon

Directions:

Separate and soak husk in water for 2.5 hours (+). After dry each with paper towel.

Prepare filling sauce.

Roast chiles, pepper and tomatoes until all side are toasted.-15 minutes

Put chiles, in glass bowl and cover with aluminum. Let sweat. De-seed chiles and peel.

Sauce: Combine peeled tomatoes, Serrano pepper (de-seed or limit amount depending on level of spiciness), garlic, bouillon together and blend until liquid.

Slice peeled chiles into thin strips, toss in saucepan and the. Add sauce. Cook for 20 minutes or until ready. Put in bowl.

Prepare 16 ounces of shredded chicken. Put in bowl.

Shred cheese or cheese alternative. Put in bowl.

Place dried soaked husk in a bowl

Masa preparation:

Mix maseca, lard, broth and baking soda. Important: ****Must mix together contents slowly and not all at once.

Start with lard first-mix 5 minutes. Add one cup of maseca, baking powder and portion of broth. Mix for 2-3 minutes and continue to add maseca in cup increments with broth until all is gone.

Use mixer if possible, by hand will double time, however both work just fine.

Test if masa is done by taking a pea size and dropping it into water, if it floats—it is ready.

Now time to combine. The fun is to get others involved and create an assembly line. Make the preparation a fun, social activity. Grab a fun drink of choice, relax and chat while preparing the tamales, the time will fly by. A great family tradition.

Put the bowls out in center of table and begin…

Use a spatula to smear masa on husk, leave 1/2 inch in each side of husky to fold. In center of masa scoop contents in (cheese, chicken, Chile with sauce, etc.

Folding is a preference. However I like to fold both outward sides of husk to meet in the middle and allow one side to overlap, flip the bottom of husk upwards to make a perfect tamale. Stack