Chicken Tamales
- 24 dried corn husks
- 1 tablespoon chicken-flavored bouillon powder
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 2 cups loosely packed fresh cilantro
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup hot salsa verde
- Kosher salt
- 1 dried ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
- 4 cups masa harina (instant corn flour)
- 1 1/3 cups lard
- Soak the corn husks in a bowl of hot water, using a plate to keep them submerged, until pliable, 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, make the filling: Bring the bouillon powder and 4 cups water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat.
- Add the chicken 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 garlic, cumin and salsa 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, 2 2/3 cups warm water and 2 teaspoons salt
- in a bowl.
- Mix with your hands (or use a mixer with the paddle attachment) 10 to 15 minutes, or until a marble-size ball of dough floats in water.
- Drain the husks and pat dry.
- Starting 1/2 inch from the wide end, spread about 3 tablespoons of the dough down 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 up in the steamer, folded-side down.
- 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.
- Photograph by Kat Teutsch
corn husks, chickenflavored bouillon powder, skinless, skinless, cilantro, clove garlic, ground cumin, hot salsa verde, kosher salt, ancho chile, masa harina, lard
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chicken-tamales-recipe.html (may not work)