Red Chicken Tamales (Tamales Rojos de Pollo)

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Description

The masa for these Mexican red tamales is made with lard and chicken broth. They are stuffed with a filling of shredded chicken and a spicy red sauce with ancho and mulato chiles. [Recipe originally submitted to Allrecipes.com.mx]

Ingredients

  • corn husks
  • 1 ¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 1 pinch salt to taste
  • ⅓ cup ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 cup mulato chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 8 cumin seeds
  • boiling water as needed
  • ½ pound lard
  • 1 pound masa harina
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt

Instructions

  1. Place corn husks in a bowl
  2. cover with boiling water
  3. and soak for a few hours. Drain
  4. place on a work surface
  5. and cover with a clean
  6. damp towel.
  7. Place chicken in a pot
  8. season with salt
  9. and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat
  10. reduce heat
  11. cover
  12. and simmer until chicken is cooked through
  13. 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken and shred with 2 forks.
  14. Heat a griddle over medium heat and toast ancho and mulato chiles until fragrant
  15. 3 to 5 minutes. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak until soft
  16. about 25 minutes. Combine ancho and mulato chiles
  17. garlic
  18. cumin seeds
  19. and about 1/2 cup of the soaking water in a blender; blend until a thick
  20. smooth
  21. mole-like sauce forms
  22. adding more water if necessary.
  23. Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a saucepan over medium heat and add the sauce; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and cook until flavors are combined and chicken is heated through
  24. about 5 minutes.
  25. Place remaining lard in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add masa harina
  26. chicken broth
  27. baking powder
  28. and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  29. and beat until all ingredients are well combined. Test if the masa is ready by dropping a small ball of masa into a glass of cold water; if it floats
  30. it’s ready
  31. if not
  32. keep working the dough a little longer.
  33. Select 1 wide corn husk. Spread about 2 tablespoons masa mixture onto the the corn husk
  34. filling it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Add 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of the masa mixture. Fold sides of husk together
  35. one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with remaining husks.
  36. Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add tamales with the open side up and cook until filling is heated through and separates from the husk
  37. about 1 hour. Let tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Total Time: 4 hrs 35 mins

Servings: 35

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