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ChickenTamales
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 30-36 tamales
 
Ingredients
  • 4 pounds chicken thighs (Bone-in and with the skin)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 onions, peeled and sliced
  • 1 garlic bulb, cloves removed and peeled
  • 1 can Chipotle peppers
  • 4 ounces dried New Mexico chilies
  • 2 ounces ancho chiles
  • 2 ounces pasilla chiles
  • 3 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted
  • 1½ tablespoons salt
  • 2 bags dried corn husks, about 3 dozen
  • 4 cups masa mix
  • 1½ tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 4 cups Chicken broth, warm
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening or lard
Instructions
  1. Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper then brown in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Once browned on all sides, add enough water to cover the chicken thighs along with the 1 sliced onion and about 6 cloves of garlic. Simmer on low head for about 4 hours. The chicken should have fallen off the bones and you should be able to remove all of the bones with ease. Once the bones are removed use a potato masher to break up the meat. Set aside until the sauce is complete.
  2. To prepare the sauce, remove the tops of the dried chilies and shake out most of the seeds. Place the chilies in a large stockpot and cover them with water. Add the cumin, remaining sliced onion and garlic. Boil for 20 minutes until the chiles are very soft. Transfer the chiles to a blender using tongs and add a ladle full of the chile water (it is best to do this in batches.) and add the can of chipotle peppers. Puree the chiles until smooth. Pour the chili sauce into a large bowl and add salt, stir to incorporate. Taste to check seasonings, add more if necessary.
  3. Go through the dried cornhusks, separate them and discard the silk, be careful since the husks are fragile when dry. Soak them in a sink filled with warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a deep bowl, combine the masa, baking powder, and salt. Pour the chicken broth into the masa a little at a time, working it in with your fingers. In a separate small bowl, beat the vegetable shortening until fluffy. Add it to the masa and beat until the dough has a spongy texture.
  4. Rinse, drain, and remove any "puddles" of water on the corn husks (make sure to keep them damp). Set them out on a sheet pan covered by a damp towel along with the bowls of masa dough and chicken filling. Start with the largest husks because they are easier to roll. Lay the husk flat on a plate or in your hand with the smooth side up and the narrow end facing you. Spread a thin, even layer of masa over the surface of the husk with a tablespoon dipped in water. Do not use too much! Add about a tablespoon of the meat filling in the center of the masa. Fold the narrow end up to the center then fold both sides together to enclose the filling. The sticky masa will form a seal. Pinch the wide top closed.
  5. Stand the tamales up in a large steamer or colander with the pinched end up. Load the steamer into a large pot filled with 2-inches of water. The water should not touch the tamales. . Keep the water at a very low boil, checking periodically to make sure the water doesn't boil away. Steam the tamales for 2 hours.
  6. The tamales are done when the inside pulls away from the husk. The tamale should be soft, firm and not mushy. To serve, unfold the husk and spoon about a tablespoon of remaining Chicken filling on top. You can add other items like salsa, Pico Di Gaio, Sour Cream, Cheese, etc.
  7. Found the photo on the web. I will replace this photo with one of my own once I make this dish again.