Tamales
A weeknight-friendly Mexican chicken built around masa harina, lard or vegetable shortening and warm chicken broth β roughly 65 minutes start to finish, and rated medium to make. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for saucepan and blender. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Soak the corn husks in hot water for at least 30 minutes until soft and pliable, weighing them down so they stay fully submerged.
- Make the filling by toasting and soaking the guajillo chiles, blending them with the garlic and cumin into a smooth sauce, then simmering with the cooked shredded chicken for 10 minutes and seasoning with salt.
- Beat the lard with a little salt and the baking powder until fluffy, then work in the masa harina and warm broth a little at a time until you have a soft spreadable dough that holds together.
- Pat a soaked husk dry, spread a thin layer of masa across the wide end, spoon a line of filling down the centre, then fold the sides over and fold up the narrow tail to enclose.
- Stand the tamales upright with the open end up in a steamer set over simmering water, packing them snugly so they hold their shape.
- Cover and steam over gentle heat for about 1 hour, topping up the water as needed, until the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk.
- Let the tamales rest for 10 minutes off the heat to firm up before unwrapping and serving warm.
You'll use: Saucepan Β· Blender Β· Steamer
What to serve with Tamales
- Cajun spiced fish tacos Seafood
- Braised Beef Chilli Beef
- Chickpea Fajitas Vegetarian
- Stuffed Bell Peppers with Quinoa and Black Beans Vegetarian
Tips & common questions
How long does Tamales take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Tamales is an original Mexican recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Tamales Mexicanos sweet corn tamales 03.jpg by Usernet123u, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.