Chicken Tamales

1. 1
   prep · ~30 min

   Soak the corn husks.

   Place dried corn husks in a large bowl or sink. Cover with hot water and let soak until pliable, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry before using.

   TIPPlace a heavy plate on top to keep the husks fully submerged.
2. 2
   prep · ~21 min

   Toast and soak the dried chiles.

   1.Tear the stems off guajillo and ancho chiles; shake out and discard seeds.

   2.Toast chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30-45 seconds per side until fragrant and slightly darkened.

   3.Transfer chiles to a bowl, cover with hot water, and soak for 20 minutes until softened.

   TIPDon't skip toasting — it deepens the chile flavor. Watch closely to avoid burning, which makes the sauce bitter.
3. 3
   boil · ~18 min

   Poach the chicken.

   1.Place chicken breast, quartered onion, and garlic cloves in a saucepan.

   2.Cover with water by 1 inch and add a pinch of salt.

   3.Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook until chicken is opaque and cooked through, about 15-18 minutes.

   4.Remove chicken, let cool slightly, then shred with two forks. Strain and reserve 1 cup of the poaching liquid.

   TIPPoach gently — a rolling boil will make the chicken tough. Reserve the poaching liquid for extra flavor in the sauce.
4. 4
   mix · ~3 min

   Blend the red chile sauce.

   1.Drain soaked chiles and add to a blender.

   2.Add the poached garlic cloves, cumin seeds, a pinch of salt, and 1 cup of the reserved poaching liquid.

   3.Blend on high until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.

   4.Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing with a spoon to extract all the liquid. Discard solids.

   TIPBlend longer than you think — any remaining chile skin flecks will feel gritty in the final tamale.
5. 5
   saute · ~10 min

   Cook the chile sauce with shredded chicken.

   1.Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

   2.Pour in the strained chile sauce and bring to a simmer.

   3.Cook, stirring often, until the sauce darkens and thickens slightly, about 8-10 minutes.

   4.Fold in the shredded chicken until well coated. Remove from heat and let cool.

   TIPThe sauce should be thick enough to cling to the chicken but still moist — it will dry out slightly during steaming.
6. 6
   mix · ~3 min

   Whip the lard for the masa.

   In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened lard on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. The lard should double in volume and look like thick whipped cream.

   TIPThe fluffier the lard, the lighter the tamales. Cold lard won't whip properly — let it come completely to room temperature.
7. 7
   mix · ~7 min

   Prepare the masa dough.

   1.In a separate bowl, whisk together masa harina, salt, and baking powder.

   2.With the mixer on low, add the dry masa mixture to the whipped lard in 3 additions, alternating with 1.5 cups of warm water.

   3.Increase speed to medium and beat for 5-7 minutes until the dough is smooth and spreadable.

   4.Test by dropping a small ball of masa into cold water — it should float. If it sinks, beat 2 more minutes.

   TIPThe float test is the traditional way to know your masa is light enough. Use warm water — it helps the masa harina hydrate fully.
8. 8
   assemble · ~30 min

   Assemble the tamales.

   1.Lay a soaked corn husk flat with the wide end towards you and the smooth side up.

   2.Spread about 2 tablespoons of masa dough onto the upper 2/3 of the husk, leaving a 1-inch border at the top and sides.

   3.Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the chicken filling down the center of the masa.

   4.Fold the long sides of the husk towards the center so the masa edges meet, then fold the narrow bottom tip up.

   5.Tear a thin strip from an extra husk and tie around the tamale to secure, or simply leave the bottom folded under.

   TIPKeep a bowl of water nearby — wet your fingers to spread the masa without sticking.
9. 9
   steam · ~70 min

   Steam the tamales.

   1.Fill a large stock pot with about 2 inches of water and insert a steamer basket. Line the bottom of the basket with a few extra soaked corn husks.

   2.Stand the tamales upright in the steamer basket with the open ends facing up, packed snugly so they don't fall over.

   3.Cover with more soaked husks and a clean kitchen towel, then put the lid on tightly.

   4.Bring water to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to maintain a steady steam. Steam for 60-75 minutes, checking water level occasionally and adding more hot water as needed.

   TIPThe towel under the lid traps steam and prevents condensation from dripping onto the tamales. The tamales are done when the masa pulls cleanly away from the husk.
10. 10
    rest · ~10 min

    Rest the tamales before serving.

    Remove the pot from heat and let the tamales rest, covered, for 10 minutes. This allows the masa to firm up so they don't fall apart when unwrapped.

    TIPTamales continue cooking from residual heat during the rest. Skipping this step often results in soggy, falling-apart tamales.
11. 11
    serve

    Unwrap and serve warm.

    Unwrap each tamale from the husk and serve immediately while hot. Pair with salsa verde, crema, or pickled jalapeños if desired.

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