Red Chile Chicken Tamales
These never disappoint and while we recommend the red Chile chicken filling below these tamales can be filled with about anything from pork to mushrooms to cheese…. The list goes on. We prefer chicken but that’s really just a personal problem!
INGREDIENTS FOR TAMALES
4 cups Masa
2 tsp Baking Powder
1.5 tbsp Salt
2 cups Pork Lard
4 cups Chicken, Pork or Combo Stock
RED CHILE CHICKEN FILLING
2 Sanderson Farms® Skin-on, Bone-in Breasts
1 White Onion, diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
2 cups Water
4 Chile de Arbol
1 cup Sofrito
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
FOR ASSEMBLY
Tamales
Cotija Cheese
Scallions
Cilantro
Reserved Red Chile Sauce
DIRECTIONS FOR TAMALES
1. Mix the masa, salt and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
2. Blend in the pork lard by hand until the dough is smooth and dry.
3. Blend in the stock a little at a time, mixing by hand until the dough is smooth and moist. It should pull away clean but still be a little sticky. Reserve until ready to use.
FOR RED CHILE CHICKEN FILLING
1. Preheat an oven to 425°F.
2. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper to taste and roast until fully cooked >165°F
3. Reserve chicken until cool enough to handle.
4. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté onions with 1 tbsp. of canola oil until caramelized, stirring consistently so not to burn.
5. Add garlic and sauté until browned. Add water, Chile de arbol, sofrito, cumin and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and allow to reduce by half.
6. Transfer the Chile mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Reserve a cup to sauce the tamales later.
7. Return to the saucepan and shred cooled chicken directly into the pan. Simmer an additional 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes or refrigerate until using.
ASSEMBLY METHOD
1. Soak corn husks or char banana leaves slightly and then place 1/4 cup of the masa filling in the center of your wrapper of choice.
2. Place 1 tbsp. Red Chile Chicken filling in the center of the masa then fold over the wrapper to make an envelope.
3. Bring 6 cups of water to a simmer in a larger pot with a steamer insert. Stack the tamales in the insert and steam, covered for 50 minutes.
4. Allow to stand 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve with plenty of cotija, scallions, cilantro and the reserved Red Chile Sauce.
