GREEN CHICKEN TAMALES

Green Chicken Tamales image

These tender tamales are stuffed full of cilantro-spiked chicken that is extra flavorful because the chicken is poached in a rich broth made with chicken bouillon. Make enough for a crowd and they are worth the effort!

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 2h15m

Yield 24 tamales

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

24 dried corn husks
4 teaspoons chicken base
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/2 cup hot salsa verde
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
Kosher salt
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
4 cups masa harina (instant corn flour)
1 1/3 cups lard

Steps:

Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the chicken base and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and thighs and simmer until cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and let cool; cut into small pieces. Reserve the broth.
Puree the cilantro and 1 1/4 cups of the reserved broth in a food processor until smooth (save the remaining broth for another use). Transfer to a medium pot. Add the salsa, cumin and garlic and bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook until slightly reduced, about 12 minutes. Stir in the chicken and season with salt. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Make the dough: Soak the ancho chile in hot water until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain the chile, then mince to make a paste. Combine the chile paste, masa harina, lard, 3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt in a bowl. Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) until you can float a marble-size ball of the dough in water, 10 to 15 minutes.
Drain the husks and pat dry. Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end of a husk, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down the length of a husk, leaving a 1-inch border on the sides. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken filling down the center of the dough, then fold in the sides of the husk, wrapping the dough around the filling. Fold up the narrow end of the husk. Repeat with the remaining husks, dough and filling.
Set a steamer basket in a large pot filled with 1 to 2 inches of water. Arrange the tamales standing open-end up in the steamer. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and steam until the tamales pull away from the husks, about 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and let cool slightly before unwrapping.