The first time my sister-in-law pulled a chair beside me for tamales, she quietly moved the filling bowl out of my reach. I had been giving every tamal a very generous spoonful and leaving almost no room to fold. We laughed, spread the masa a little wider, and made a new rule for the table: the filling had to fit inside the tamal, not become the whole tamal.
I think of that whenever I lay out a stack of husks. Tamales make room for conversation because the work repeats: spread, fill, fold, and start again. These green chicken tamales are the ones I want to make with another pair of hands nearby and something warm waiting to drink afterward.
Why I love this recipe
Cooked shredded chicken keeps this batch focused on masa and assembly. The salsa verde is made in the recipe, so you do not need another preparation open beside you. This makes 24 medium tamales. The total includes a 30-minute husk soak and a 15-minute rest after steaming; the filling and masa can be prepared while the husks soak.
Ingredients and what they do
- 32 large dried corn husks: 24 for wrapping, extras for lining and tears
- 1 pound tomatillos: husks removed, rinsed, halved
- 1 medium jalapeño: stemmed; remove seeds for less heat
- ¼ medium white onion
- 2 cloves garlic: peeled
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro: roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine salt: for salsa
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 4 cups masa harina for tamales: about 480 g; not fresh prepared masa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt: for masa
- 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening: 200 g, soft but not melted
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth: warm, plus up to ½ cup only if needed
How to make Tamales Verdes de Pollo (Green Chicken Tamales)
- Soak the husks. Cover corn husks with very warm water in a large bowl. Weight them with a plate and soak for at least 30 minutes, until flexible. Prepare the filling and masa during this time. Keep extra husks for lining the steamer and replacing torn wrappers.
- Cook the salsa vegetables. Place tomatillos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic in a saucepan and add water just to cover. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving a little cooking liquid. Cool briefly. Blend vegetables, cilantro, and salsa salt until smooth, adding a splash of reserved liquid only if necessary. When blending warm ingredients, vent the lid and cover it with a towel.
- Reduce the filling. Heat oil in the empty saucepan over medium heat. Add salsa and simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring. Fold in cooked shredded chicken and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Filling should be moist but not runny; reserve any excess loose sauce for the table.
- Mix and beat the masa. Whisk masa harina, baking powder, and masa salt. Beat soft lard or shortening in a large bowl with a mixer for 3–4 minutes until lighter. Beat in masa mixture and 3 ½ cups warm broth in alternating additions. Continue beating for 4–5 minutes. The masa should spread like soft hummus; add additional broth 1 tablespoon at a time if stiff. Let stand for 10 minutes, then recheck the consistency.
- Spread, fill, and fold. Drain and pat husks dry. Choose 24 wide intact husks. With the broad end nearest you, spread about ¼ cup masa in a rectangle on the broad lower portion, leaving side margins and the tapered upper third bare. Put 3 tablespoons chicken filling down the center. Fold the long sides inward so masa encloses the filling, then fold the tapered empty end up. Leave the broad end open. Repeat; divide any remaining masa among the tamales without overfilling.
- Load the steamer. Add water below the steamer rack without letting it touch the tamales. Line the rack with spare husks. Stand tamales with open ends upward, supported loosely by a heatproof ramekin if needed. Do not pack tightly. Cover with spare husks and the pot lid. Bring to a steady simmer.
- Steam until the masa releases. Steam for 75–90 minutes. Check water periodically and add hot water down the side of the pot, away from the open tamales. Do not let the pot boil dry. To check, remove one tamal with tongs and let it stand for 5 minutes. The husk should peel away cleanly and the masa should be set, not wet paste. If it sticks, steam another 10–15 minutes and check again.
- Rest and unwrap. Turn off the heat and let tamales rest in the covered steamer for 15 minutes so the masa firms. Remove carefully with tongs. Serve warm and remove the corn husks before eating.
My kitchen notes
Timing
Prep 75 minutes, cook about 115 minutes including salsa and steaming, plus 30 minutes husk soaking and 15 minutes resting: about 3 hours 55 minutes total. Some work overlaps, but the card keeps a generous full allowance. Additional steaming may be necessary.
Use the right masa
Use dry masa harina labeled for tamales. Fresh prepared masa has different hydration and fat content and is not a direct cup-for-cup substitute.
Scale of the batch
Husk sizes vary. Aim for 24 medium tamales; very small husks may produce more. Warm broth additions are texture adjustments, not an instruction to pour in every optional drop.
Serving
Both filling and chicken begin cooked. The key finishing check is fully cooked, set masa that releases from the husk after standing. Corn husks are wrappers and are not eaten.
What to serve with it
Build a meal around it with Red pork tamales, Salsa verde, Vanilla atole. Choose the pairing that fits your table, and use the linked recipe for its own ingredients and timing.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the masa sticking?
The tamal may need more steaming or a few minutes of standing before opening. Check the steamer water and continue in 10–15-minute intervals.
Can I use my existing salsa verde?
You can use about 1 ½ cups thick salsa verde instead of making the sauce here. Combine with chicken and reduce if watery. Do not use both full sauce amounts.
Can I use butter instead of lard?
This recipe is formulated for lard or vegetable shortening. Butter changes the water and fat balance, so it is not the default substitution.
Recipe
Tamales Verdes de Pollo (Green Chicken Tamales)
Equipment
- Large steamer with lid
- Electric mixer
- Blender
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 32 large dried corn husks 24 for wrapping, extras for lining and tears
- 1 pound tomatillos husks removed, rinsed, halved
- 1 medium jalapeño stemmed; remove seeds for less heat
- ¼ medium white onion
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine salt for salsa
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 4 cups masa harina for tamales about 480 g; not fresh prepared masa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine salt for masa
- 1 cup lard or vegetable shortening 200 g, soft but not melted
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth warm, plus up to ½ cup only if needed
Instructions
- Cover corn husks with very warm water in a large bowl. Weight them with a plate and soak for at least 30 minutes, until flexible. Prepare the filling and masa during this time. Keep extra husks for lining the steamer and replacing torn wrappers.
- Place tomatillos, jalapeño, onion, and garlic in a saucepan and add water just to cover. Simmer for 10–12 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving a little cooking liquid. Cool briefly. Blend vegetables, cilantro, and salsa salt until smooth, adding a splash of reserved liquid only if necessary. When blending warm ingredients, vent the lid and cover it with a towel.
- Heat oil in the empty saucepan over medium heat. Add salsa and simmer for 8–10 minutes until slightly thickened, stirring. Fold in cooked shredded chicken and simmer for 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Filling should be moist but not runny; reserve any excess loose sauce for the table.
- Whisk masa harina, baking powder, and masa salt. Beat soft lard or shortening in a large bowl with a mixer for 3–4 minutes until lighter. Beat in masa mixture and 3 ½ cups warm broth in alternating additions. Continue beating for 4–5 minutes. The masa should spread like soft hummus; add additional broth 1 tablespoon at a time if stiff. Let stand for 10 minutes, then recheck the consistency.
- Drain and pat husks dry. Choose 24 wide intact husks. With the broad end nearest you, spread about ¼ cup masa in a rectangle on the broad lower portion, leaving side margins and the tapered upper third bare. Put 3 tablespoons chicken filling down the center. Fold the long sides inward so masa encloses the filling, then fold the tapered empty end up. Leave the broad end open. Repeat; divide any remaining masa among the tamales without overfilling.
- Add water below the steamer rack without letting it touch the tamales. Line the rack with spare husks. Stand tamales with open ends upward, supported loosely by a heatproof ramekin if needed. Do not pack tightly. Cover with spare husks and the pot lid. Bring to a steady simmer.
- Steam for 75–90 minutes. Check water periodically and add hot water down the side of the pot, away from the open tamales. Do not let the pot boil dry. To check, remove one tamal with tongs and let it stand for 5 minutes. The husk should peel away cleanly and the masa should be set, not wet paste. If it sticks, steam another 10–15 minutes and check again.
- Turn off the heat and let tamales rest in the covered steamer for 15 minutes so the masa firms. Remove carefully with tongs. Serve warm and remove the corn husks before eating.
Notes
More ideas for your table
For a savory side at your tamalada, serve frijoles charros in small bowls. Make the beans separately and let everyone add a bowl to their plate of tamales.
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