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Recipe For Tamales De Pollo
Just Mexican Food

Chicken Tamale Recipe

There are a variety of tamal recipes that include chicken. As such, it is always a good idea to try new ones to see which ones appeal the most to your unique flavor palate. However, when you walk into a place that sells tamales, you’re almost guaranteed to find this one in the selection. 
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 12
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3½ pounds chicken
  • 1 medium-sized onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • Cooking oil
  • Salt
  • 24 dried husks
For the dough
  • 3 cups of masa harina
  • 1 cup of shortening lard gets the most taste
  • 6 tablespoons each of all-purpose flour and canola oil
  • 1-4 teaspoons each of garlic powder and pepper
  • 3/4 cup of chili powder
  • Hot water

Equipment

  • 6-quart stockpot
  • Cutting knife
  • Strainer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Mixing utensil
  • Steamer

Method
 

  1. Soak the corn husks in cold water until they soften, which should take around 2 hours.
  2. Place in the stockpot the chicken with two teaspoons of salt after cutting it up into different pieces. Cut the onion in quarters, crush the garlic and drop them both on top. Then pour in 3 quarts of water and bring it to a boil.
  3. When it’s boiling, bring down the heat, put the cover on top, and let it simmer for about an hour, or until the chicken becomes tender.
  4. Take out the chicken and when it cools enough, remove all of the skin and bones.
  5. Strain the cooking juices and skim as much fat as possible. Then save 6 cups of for its late use.
For the dough
  1. Place the shortening in a mixing bowl and beat it until it becomes fluffy and light, which shouldn’t take much longer than a minute.
  2. Now add the masa harina little by little with a small amount of your saved cooking juice, only using 2 cups of it, and mix it in by beating it at a constant rate. When you think that it’s ready, drop a little of the dough into a cup of cold water. If it floats that means that it’s ready.
  3. Take the dough and make small balls, around 12. Press them with the palm of your hand. Place them inside a corn husk and fill them with the guisado. Close the husk. Do the same with all the tamales. Place all the tamales inside a steamer. Cook them for an hour and a half.
  4. Serve on a plate with a fork.

Notes

Tips And Tricks For Your Tamales De Pollo

This tamales de pollo recipe includes lard. While it does taste quite delicious, there are many alternatives that you can use for a healthier tamal. If you prefer a less flavorful alternative, you can add can olives to this recipe, 2 ounces of ripe, drained olives ought to be enough. Also, you can use vegetable oil or margarine.