Skip to main content
Epicurious
Cookbooks

Chicken Tamales with Tomatillo-Cilantro Sauce

4.2

(11)

Image may contain Plant Confectionery Food and Sweets
Photo by Shutterstock

Editor's note: In addition to the Mexican crema , Castro also recommends serving these tamales with Creamy Salsa Verde and Chipotle Chile Sauce
While tamales are one of Mexico's most famous street foods, they are also one of its most popular party foods, which is fitting since a tamal is packaged like a small gift waiting to be unwrapped. The many steps involved in tamal making have discouraged countless cooks. But they should not, because the process is very easy. And if you gather a few friends to help with the assembling, you can have a tamal-making party before the real party begins.

Cooks' Notes

INGREDIENTS
Lard versus Shortening
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.
TECHNIQUES
Poaching Chicken
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
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 PREPARATION
Reheating Tamales
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.

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

Read More
Smothered Italian Sausage
This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.
Salmon With Sizzled Nut Salsa
A savory-hot salsa made with mixed nuts (like the kind dubbed cocktail nuts meant for snacking) gives roast salmon a kaleidoscope of textures and flavors.
Our Favorite French Onion Soup
Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.
White Bean Turkey Chili
A dash of cocoa powder adds depth and richness to the broth of this easy turkey chili.
One-Pot Chicken Thighs With Cilantro Rice and Beans
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette
Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.
Dulce de Leche
Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.
Golden Mushroom Soup With Orzo & a Pat of Butter
This is the type of soup that, at first glance, might seem a little…unexciting. But you’re underestimating the power of mushrooms, which do the heavy lifting.