CHICKEN AND GREEN SALSA TAMALES

Chicken and Green Salsa Tamales image

This delicious recipe for chicken and green salsa tamales comes courtesy of Oscar De La Hoya.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Chicken

Yield Makes 12

Number Of Ingredients 15

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Ingredients

15 large dried corn husks, plus more for cooking
1 cup lard, unsalted butter, or shortening
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 cups store-bought masa harina
1 3/4 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock, heated
3 medium tomatillos, papery skins removed
2 to 3 jalapenos, stems removed
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons cilantro
1/2 small onion
1 extra-large (3/8-ounce) cube chicken-flavored bouillon (such as Knorr)
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1 russet potato, peeled and cut into 12 2-by-1/2-inch strips
Mozzarella cheese, cut into 12 2-by-1/2-inch strips

Steps:

Place corn husks into a large heatproof bowl. Pour enough boiling water over the husks to cover. Place a heatproof plate on the husks to keep them submerged. Let soak for 1 hour. Remove, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together lard and 2 teaspoons salt on medium speed until combined. Slowly add the masa harina and stock. Continue to beat until well combined and smooth. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
Bring a medium pot filled with water to a boil. Add the tomatillos and jalapenos and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, and transfer to the jar of a blender along with the garlic, cilantro, onion, and bouillon. Blend until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a little water, if needed.
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, add chicken and tomatillo mixture. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.
Working with the grain, tear 3 corn husks lengthwise into 24 quarter-inch-wide strips. Set aside.
Place one of the remaining 12 corn husks on work surface; pat dry. Position corn husk so the small end is parallel to the edge of your work surface. Place 1/4 cup of the masa mixture onto the center, but slightly closer to the bottom, of the corn husk. Spread into a rectangle, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on the small end and a 1-inch border around the other three sides. Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of the masa mixture, followed by a piece of potato and then a piece of cheese. Bring the two long sides of the husk together to enclose the filling. Fold the ends under, tying with 2 of the reserved strips to secure. Repeat process with remaining husks and filling.
Fill a tamale steamer, or a stockpot fitted with a steamer insert, with enough water to come just below the level of the steamer. Line the bottom of the steamer insert with a layer or corn husks. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and add tamales so that they stand (upright) in the pot. Cover with damp paper towels. Steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes, adding more water if necessary. To check for doneness, unwrap a tamale. When done, dough will come free from corn husk and feel soft. If dough sticks to corn husk, rewrap, and steam 15 to 20 minutes more. Remove from heat; let stand 15 minutes to allow the masa to firm up. They will remain warm for about an hour.