Chicken Tamales with Chile Verde

Rinse the corn husks thoroughly under warm running water to clean off any debris, being careful not to tear them. Place the rinsed husks in a large bowl with enough warm water to cover them. Use a heavy bowl or plate to weigh the husks down so that they stay submerged. I use the tejolote from my molcajete. Soak the husks for at least 2 hours so that they soften and become pliable. 

Combine the chicken, half of the onion (reserve the other half for the chile verde), 10 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium pot or Dutch oven over high heat. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium to cook the chicken for 45 minutes, uncovered. Use a large spoon to skim off any foam that rises to the top. Remove the pot from the heat.

Use tongs to transfer the chicken onto a large plate and shred them using your hands once they are cool enough to handle. Cover and set it aside. 

Strain the chicken stock through a colander into a bow or jar, and keep it refrigerated until ready to use. You can discard the onion. The chicken stock can be used to make the masa.

While the chicken cooks, make the chile verde. Add the tomatillos, serrano and jalapeño peppers, garlic, cilantro, the remaining half onion, roughly chopped, and 2 teaspoons salt into a blender or food processor. Blend or pulse it until finely chopped—you don’t want large chunks nor do you want it to be creamy like a smoothie. You may need to do this in two batches if your blender or food processor is small. 

Strain the salsa through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl and discard the liquid. You can use a spoon to push the liquid through the sieve. Reserve only the pulp—this is your chile verde.

Set up for assembling the tamales: You’ll need the soaked husks (keep them in the water), the masa, the shredded chicken, and the chile verde. 

Lay a husk on a flat surface, smooth-side up and the pointy side away from you. Scoop about 1/3 cup masa and use a spoon to spread it onto the wider bottom half of the husk, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the bottom and side edges. Place about 1/3 cup shredded chicken and 2 tablespoons chile verde on the center of the masa. If you have a small husk, you may need to use less masa, chicken, and chile verde.

There are two options for folding the tamale: 

The first option is to fold the husk in half lengthwise. Then, fold it in half again lengthwise. Fold the pointy end up towards the wider end, and fasten with a strip of corn husk by tying it around the tamale so that it stays folded.

The second option is to fold one of the long sides over the filling, but not all the way to the other side. Then fold the other long side over it and fold the pointy end up towards the wider end. Fasten with a strip of corn husk tied around the tamale. 

I prefer the first option because I find it easier. Plus, the cooked tamale unwraps with more ease. Both methods are acceptable—it’s a matter of preference. 

Repeat until all the masa and filling are used. You will get about 24 tamales.

Add water to a large steamer pot to the fill line, or until it comes up about 3 inches up the sides. Place the steamer basket on top.

Line the steamer basket with a layer of husks. If your steamer is large like mine, place a heat-proof bowl upside down in the center. This will help keep tamales from tipping over. Place the tamales in the steamer basket upright, leaning against each other, the bowl (if using), and the pot. Cover the tamales with any remaining corn husks and then a clean kitchen towel. Cover the pot tightly with the lid.

Cook the tamales over medium-high heat. When the water comes to a boil, set the timer for 90 minutes. Check the water periodically to make sure it hasn’t fully evaporated, every 15 minutes—you may need to add more hot water. 

After 90 minutes, turn off the heat and let the tamales rest for 20 minutes in the steamer. 

To check for doneness, carefully remove a tamale from the pot with tongs and unwrap it. The husk should easily detach from masa.

Serve the tamales with a dollop of crema and a sprinkle of cotija cheese and chopped cilantro. 

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. The microwave is the best way to reheat tamales. 

Cooked tamales can be frozen for about 6 months. After cooking the tamales, let them cool completely. Then, pack them in zip top freezer bags for storage. 

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