Pollo en Tamales Rojos (Red Chile Chicken Tamales)

Name: Pollo en Tamales Rojos (Red Chile Chicken Tamales)
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h 20 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 35 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1.5 tsp Baking Powder; 1.25 lb Chicken Breast; 3 cups Chicken Broth; 1 whole Corn Husk; 0.33 cup Dried Ancho Chile Pepper; 1 cup Dried Chile Peppers; 1 clove Garlic; 0.5 lb Lard; 1 lb Masa; 0 pinch Salt; 1 cup Water; 8 whole Whole Cumin Seed

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 Mexican

Pollo en Tamales Rojos features tender shredded chicken wrapped in fluffy masa, all infused with a deep, smoky heat from ancho and mulato chiles. The rich red sauce balances gentle spice with toasty cumin and garlic, yielding a comforting bite in every parcel. Perfect for festive gatherings or weekend dinners when you want a shareable, traditional treat.

Prep1 hr
Cook1 hr 20 mins
Serves35
DifficultyHard

Pollo en Tamales Rojos (Red Chile Chicken Tamales)

1

Put the corn husks in a bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for a few hours. Drain them, lay them on a work surface, and cover with a clean, damp towel.
2

Put the chicken in a pot, season with salt, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the chicken and shred it with 2 forks.
3

Heat a griddle over medium heat and toast the mulato and ancho chiles until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak until soft, about 25 minutes. Combine the ancho and mulato chiles, the garlic, the cumin seeds, and about 1/2 cup of the soaking water in a blender; blend until a thick, smooth, mole-like sauce forms, adding more water if needed.
4

Heat 1 tablespoon lard in a saucepan over medium heat and add the sauce; cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cook until the flavors combine and the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
5

Put the remaining lard in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer until creamy. Add the masa harina, chicken broth, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, and beat until everything is well combined. Test the masa by dropping a small ball into a glass of cold water; if it floats, it is ready—if not, keep working the dough a bit longer.
6

Choose 1 wide corn husk. Spread about 2 tablespoons of the masa mixture onto the corn husk, keeping it up to 2 inches from the bottom and 1/4 inch from the top. Put 1 tablespoon of the chicken filling in the center of the masa mixture. Fold the sides of the husk together, one over the other. Fold the bottom of the husk over the seam of the 2 folded sides. Repeat with the remaining husks.
7

Editor's Note:
8

Place a steamer insert in a saucepan and add water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring the water to a boil. Add the tamales with the open side up and cook until the filling is heated through and pulls away from the husk, about 1 hour. Let the tamales rest for 15 minutes before serving. This recipe was originally submitted to Allrecipes.com.mx.