Chicken and Vegetables Tamales Recipe

Chicken and Vegetable Tamales

If you have leftover cooked turkey or chicken, making chicken/turkey vegetable tamales is a good idea. I grew up with the mentality that nothing could go to waste, and for me, this is an excellent use of leftovers.

Tamales come in different sizes from the tiny ones made in the Northern parts of the States of Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas to the large Mucbipollos served at Day of the Dead festivities in Yucatan to the huge Zacahuil in the Huasteca region formed of the States of Veracruz, San Luis Potosi, and Hidalgo. The tamales also had a great variety of fillings like chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, pumpkin, beans, vegetables, well the sky is the limit about the diversity you could find when talking about tamales.
This recipe filling is made of a mix of vegetables, chicken and a red sauce.

Chicken and Vegetables Tamales

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DIRECTIONS:

• Place the corn husk in a large pot and cover with enough hot water to cover them. Place a metal lid or heatproof dish on top of husks to keep them submerged. Soak for about 45 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside. This step will soften the husks and make them pliable-easy to fold. (Please check the ingredients list below)
• In a large bowl mix filling ingredients, shredded chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes, salsa and garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. The mixture has to be cool when assembling the tamales. Set aside while preparing the Masa Harina Dough.
• In a large bowl, beat the lard by hand or with an electric mixer until it is light. Add salt and the masa harina and gradually the stock until dough is very light. If your dough looks dry add more broth or water. Continue to beat until dough is well combined, light and smooth. To make sure your dough is light enough place a small amount in a glass of water. It will float when it’s ready.
• Preparing the steamer. Usually, tamales are steamed in a large pot designed for this purpose if you have one add boiling water up to the marking sign. If you do not have one of this pot, use a steamer basket, metal colander o a metal lid place it inside a pot, cover with corn husks and add boiling water, just enough to steam the tamales.
• To assemble the tamales. Place a small amount of the dough in the center of a corn husk. Using the back of a spoon spread the dough and top it with 1 1/2 tablespoon of the meat filling. Fold the sides of the husks. Bend bottom toward the center.  And place tamales standing up in your already prepared tamal steamer cover with a layer of corn husks and a dish towel,  cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add more water to the steamer if needed during that step.

• To check for doneness remove one of the tamales and if the husk can easily be removed from the dough they are ready.  But if the dough sticks to the husk place back into the pot and cooks for 15 more minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy.

5 from 2 votes

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CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES TAMALES RECIPE

The tamales also had a great variety of fillings like chicken, pork, beef, shrimp, pumpkin, beans, vegetables, well the sky is the limit about the diversity you could find when talking about tamales. Chicken and Vegetables Tamales. I hope you enjoy this delicious recipe.

Category dish type: Antojitos, Chicken

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 16 Tamales

Author: Mely Martínez - Mexico in my Kitchen

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1/2 pound cooked shredded chicken
• 1/3 cup green peas canned is ok
• 1/3 cup of already cooked carrots diced
• 1/2 cup of already cook potatoes diced
• 1 1/2 cup of salsa roja recipe* HERE
• salt & pepper to taste

For the Dough:

• 3 cups of Masa Harina for Tortillas
• 1 1/3 cup of Lard
• 2 1/2 cups of the chicken.
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 16 Large Corn husk to wrap the tamales

Instructions

1. Place the corn husk in a large pot and cover with enough hot water to cover them. Place a metal lid or heatproof dish on top of husks to keep them submerged. Soak for about 45 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside. This step will soften the husks and make them pliable-easy to fold.
2. In a large bowl mix filling ingredients, shredded chicken, carrots, peas, potatoes, salsa and garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Mixture has to be cool when assembling the tamales. Set aside while preparing the Masa Harina Dough.
3. In large bowl, beat the lard by hand or with an electric mixer until it is light. Add salt and the masa harina and gradually the stock until dough is very light. If your dough looks dry add more broth or water. Continue to beat until dough is well combined, light and smooth. To make sure your dough is light enough place a small amount in a glass with water. It will float when it’s ready.
4. Preparing the steamer. Usually tamales are steamed in a large pot designed for this purpose, if you have one add boiling water up to the marking sign. If you do not have one of this pot, use a steamer basket, metal colander o a metal lid place it inside a pot, cover with corn husks and add boiling water, just enough to steam the tamales.
5. To assemble the tamales. Place a small amount of the dough in the center of a corn husk. Using the back of a spoon spread the dough and top it with 1 1/2 tablespoon of the meat filling. Fold the sides of the husks. Bend bottom toward the center. And place tamales standing up in your already prepared tamal steamer cover with a layer of corn husks and a dish towel, cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add more water to the steamer if needed during that step.6.To check for doneness remove one of the tamales and if the husk can easily be removed from the dough they are ready. But if the dough stick to the husk place back into the pot and cook for 15 more minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

• You can use Masa Harina for making tortillas or the special one for making tamales. If you live in an area where Fresh Masa is available, use about 3 1/2 cups of fresh masa.
• For a detail explanation to form the tamales check HERE.

¡Buen provecho!
Mely,

If you have any questions please let me know in the comments section.

I hope you make them… If you do, please come back to let me know your experience.

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