30 Minute Chicken Tamales
Savor the essence of traditional Mexican comfort food with this quick and easy recipe for 30-Minute Chicken Tamales. Perfect for busy weeknights, these tamales are a breeze to make thanks to instant corn masa flour, tender shredded chicken, and flavorful red enchilada sauce. Steamed to perfection in soaked corn husks, they deliver authentic flavor and texture in half the time. The recipe includes simple layering and folding techniques, making it user-friendly even for first-time tamale makers. Each tamale is packed with savory, smoky goodness and pairs beautifully with garnishes like sour cream, extra sauce, or fresh cilantro. With just 15 minutes of prep and 15 minutes of cooking, this recipe serves as a fast, flavorful solution for a crowd-pleasing meal or a weekend family treat.
Log this recipe in SnapCalorie
Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 2 cups Instant corn masa flour
- 1.5 cups Chicken broth
- 0.5 cups Vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoons Salt
- 2 cups Cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup Red enchilada sauce
- 20 pieces Corn husks (soaked in warm water for 30 minutes)
Instructions
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the instant corn masa flour, chicken broth, vegetable oil, and salt. Knead the mixture with your hands or a wooden spoon until you achieve a smooth, slightly sticky dough. If the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of chicken broth at a time until the right consistency is reached.
In a separate bowl, mix the shredded chicken with the red enchilada sauce until evenly coated. This will serve as your filling.
Drain the pre-soaked corn husks and pat them dry. Lay one corn husk flat on a clean surface, with the narrow end facing away from you.
Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa dough onto the widest part of the corn husk, spreading it out thinly but evenly using your fingers or the back of a spoon. Leave about an inch of space from the edges of the husk.
Place a heaping tablespoon of the chicken filling into the center of the masa spread.
Carefully fold one side of the corn husk over the filling, then fold the other side to overlap. Fold up the narrow, pointed end of the husk to close the bottom. Repeat with the remaining husks, masa, and filling.
Arrange the prepared tamales upright (open side up) in a large steamer basket. You can use a small, heatproof bowl in the center of your steamer basket as a base to help them stand upright.
Fill the steamer pot with enough water to just reach below the steamer basket. Cover with a lid and steam the tamales over medium heat for 15 minutes, or until the masa becomes firm and pulls away easily from the corn husk.
Remove the tamales from the steamer with tongs and let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Serve warm, optionally garnished with extra enchilada sauce, sour cream, or fresh cilantro.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
2710 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 133.8 g | 172% | |
| Saturated Fat | 19.9 g | 99% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 67.2 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 406 mg | 135% | |
| Sodium | 6014 mg | 261% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 193.4 g | 70% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 16.0 g | 57% | |
| Total Sugars | 8.8 g | ||
| Protein | 169.2 g | 338% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 581 mg | 45% | |
| Iron | 14.5 mg | 81% | |
| Potassium | 1517 mg | 32% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
