Satisfy your cravings with these scrumptious Chicken Tamales!
If you’re craving authentic Chicken Tamales with pillowy, fluffy masa wrapped around juicy shredded chicken, this step-by-step guide gives you everything in a smooth, narrative flow so you can cook with confidence.
You’ll learn how to soak and prepare corn husks so they’re pliable and easy to fold, how to cook and season the chicken so it’s flavorful without turning watery, how to whip the fat correctly and use the masa float test to guarantee tenderness, and how to steam the tamales.
Expect roughly two to two and a half hours from start to finish depending on your pace and pot size, and plan on a generous two dozen tamales, give or take, which makes this recipe perfect for a weekend project, a holiday tamalada, or a make-ahead meal-prep session.
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Ingredients for This Recipe
For this recipe you’ll need about 30–35 dried corn husks plus a few extra for lining and covering the steamer, along with hot water to soak them until supple.
For the filling, use 2 lb (900 g) of boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts seasoned with kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin, and oregano (Mexican oregano if you have it), plus roughly ½ cup (120 ml) of chicken broth or water to gently simmer until the meat reaches 165°F (74°C).
To dress the chicken, choose either a bold red chile sauce—think 6–8 dried guajillos and 2 anchos softened in hot water and blended with garlic, onion, a pinch of cumin, and enough soaking liquid or broth to make a pourable puree—or a bright green tomatillo-serrano sauce.
For the masa, you’ll want 3 cups (330–360 g) masa harina for tamales (the coarser grind matters), 1 cup (225 g) lard or vegetable shortening at room temperature, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, 2–2½ teaspoons kosher salt.
And 1–1¼ cups (240–300 ml) warm chicken broth, which you’ll add slowly until the dough is soft and spreadable.
Soak the Husks
Begin by submerging the corn husks in very hot water and weighing them down with a plate so they remain fully underwater. After about thirty to forty-five minutes, they will feel silky and flexible, which makes spreading the masa easier and folding cleaner.
Take a moment to rinse each husk under running water to remove any stray silk fibers and then pat them dry when you’re ready to assemble.
Reserve a handful of the nicest, broadest husks for lining the steamer basket and a few more to drape over the top of the tamales during cooking; this simple habit helps prevent condensation from dripping onto the masa and protects the tops from drying out.
Cook and Shred the Chicken
Season the chicken generously and set it in a pot with the broth or water so it can poach gently under a lid rather than boil aggressively, which keeps the meat tender and easy to shred.
Check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer and remove the chicken as soon as it hits 165°F (74°C); letting it cool briefly on a tray before shredding helps it stay juicy. T
oss the warm shreds with enough red or green sauce to coat each piece, aiming for a glossy, spoonable mixture that is moist but never soupy.
Taste and adjust the salt until the chicken is delicious on its own because that seasoning has to carry through the masa, the steaming, and your toppings later.
Make Fluffy Masa
The secret to fluffy masa is air, and the quickest way to build it is to cream the fat properly. Beat the lard or shortening with a mixer for a few minutes until it looks lighter in color and texture, almost like whipped frosting; if you rush this step, the tamales will be denser.
In a separate bowl, whisk the masa harina, salt, and baking powder, then add these dry ingredients to the fat in a couple of additions with the mixer on low so you don’t lose the air you just created.
Now stream in warm broth a little at a time until the dough becomes soft and spreadable—think thick peanut butter that feels airy rather than heavy—and pause to perform the masa float test by dropping a small pinch into cold water.
If it floats, you’re ready to assemble, and if it sinks, you can beat in a touch more fat or a splash of broth and mix briefly before testing again. This tiny check takes seconds and is your insurance policy for tamales with pillowy, tender masa.
Spread, Fill, and Fold
Lay a softened husk in your palm with the smoother side facing up and the wider end at the top, then spread a thin, even rectangle of masa—roughly two to three tablespoons—leaving the top edge and one long side mostly bare to make folding neat and secure.
Place a line of sauced chicken down the center, use the husk to help the masa meet over the filling, fold the long sides inward, and then tuck the tail end up to seal the package; if you enjoy tidy bundles, tear a thin strip from an extra husk and tie it around the middle.
Working in this measured, comfortable rhythm keeps the process relaxing and ensures consistent size, which helps all the tamales finish steaming at about the same time.
Steam to Doneness
Line the steamer insert with a few husks to prevent drips from accumulating underneath, then stand the tamales upright like pencils in a cup with their open ends up so steam can rise through the batch evenly.
Bring the water below the rack to a gentle boil, cover the tamales with a loose blanket of husks to protect the tops, set on the lid, and maintain a steady medium heat so the pot never boils dry.
Begin checking for doneness around the one-hour mark, understanding that most batches will take sixty to ninety minutes depending on the pot, heat, and size of your tamales.
Trust doneness cues more than the clock: a test tamal should release cleanly from its husk after resting for five minutes, and the masa should look set and matte rather than wet or glossy; if it clings to the husk, return the batch for another ten to fifteen minutes and check again.
Serving and Variations
Serve your Chicken Tamales with extra red or green salsa, a cool ribbon of crema, crumbled queso fresco, cilantro, and a bright squeeze of lime, pairing them with frijoles (de la olla or refritos), Mexican rice, or a crunchy jalapeño-carrot escabeche for contrast.
If you love to play with flavors, make a tangy Green Chile Chicken version by using tomatillo-serrano sauce, go deeper and smokier with a Red Chile Chicken batch built on guajillos and anchos.
Try Rajas con Queso by swapping the chicken for roasted poblano strips with Oaxaca or Monterey Jack, or turn the dish into a special-occasion centerpiece by dressing the shredded chicken with rich mole.
Each path keeps the method the same while changing the mood of the meal, which is why tamales are such a perfect canvas for your kitchen style.
Make-Ahead, Freezing, and Reheating
One of the best reasons to make tamales at home is how well they keep their character after chilling or freezing, turning a single afternoon of cooking into weeks of easy meals.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days or freeze them—still tucked in their husks—in sturdy bags with the air pressed out for up to three months, then reheat by steaming until hot, usually twelve to 18 minutes from the fridge and 18 to 25 from frozen.
If you’re in a hurry, you can even microwave a tamal in its husk wrapped in a damp paper towel for about a minute to a minute and a half, adding short bursts until warmed through; just remember that gentle steam protects the texture better than aggressive heat.
Troubleshooting and Final Notes
If the masa feels too dense, beat in a splash of warm broth and give it thirty seconds in the mixer before repeating the float test; this tiny adjustment often transforms the texture.
If the filling leaks during assembly, either spread a slightly wider rectangle of masa or modestly reduce the filling so the seam can close without pressure.
Soggy tamales usually mean the water level rose above the rack or the steam was too weak to keep the environment dry and hot, so keep the water just below the insert and maintain a steady simmer, while dry tamales point to over-steaming,
As a general planning guide, a medium tamal lands around 220–280 calories with 9–14 grams of protein, 10–14 grams of fat, and 22–28 grams of carbohydrates, though those numbers will vary with sauce and portion size.
Keep the three anchors front and center—whip the fat, trust the float test, and watch the doneness cues—and your Chicken Tamales will deliver fluffy masa and juicy shredded chicken every time.
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Source: Villa Cocina
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