Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole
Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole layers juicy, chile-simmered chicken over a tender, savory masa base and finishes with a bubbling blanket of Cheddar–Monterey Jack. The tang of tomatillos and warmth of New Mexico chiles give it a balanced heat and bright depth. It’s a cozy option for family dinners or casual gatherings when you want bold Tex-Mex comfort.
- Prep40 mins
- Cook3 hrs 15 mins
- Serves10
- DifficultyMedium
- 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- 2
Set the chicken breasts in baking pans and cover them with aluminum foil.
- 3
Bake the chicken in the preheated oven until tender and cooked through, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hour. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should register 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Let cool until easy to handle. Remove and discard the skin. Remove the bones from the chicken and chop into 1/2-inch pieces.
- 4
Combine the bones with the drippings from the baking pans in a large pot; add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the broth and discard the bones.
- 5
Put the tomatoes, onion, tomatillos, garlic, and red chile pods into a blender or food processor; puree until the chile pods are reduced to small flecks. Pour the mixture into a pot.
- 6
Stir 1 cup chicken broth, salt, cumin, and oregano into the pureed mixture in the pot. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Remove from the heat.
- 7
Microwave 1 cup chicken broth and lard together in a microwave-safe bowl until the lard is just melted, about 2 minutes. Mix in the masa harina with your hands to make a smooth paste.
- 8
Press the paste evenly into the bottom of a 10x13-inch baking pan. Spread the chicken mixture on top. Cover with aluminum foil.
- 9
Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken is heated through, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend on top. Continue baking until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Calories 604.09 kcal High
- Protein 73.94 g Good Source
- Carbs 17.77 g Moderate
- Total Fat 26.41 g High
- Saturated Fat 10.38 g High
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source
- Cholesterol 207.39 mg High
- Sodium 440.06 mg Moderate
- Fiber 2.31 g Low Source
- Sugar 2.76 g Moderate
- Added Sugar 0.0 g Low Source
- Calcium 300.28 mg Good Source
- Iron 4.02 mg Good Source
- Potassium 258.5 mg Low Source
- Vitamin A 7.59 mcg_rae Low Source
- Vitamin C 9.53 mg Moderate
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Milk 🥛
- Corn 🌽
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole is a Tex Mex dinner recipe made with 13 ingredients. It takes about 3 hrs 55 mins, serves 10, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Chicken Breast, Crushed Tomatoes, Dried Chile Peppers, and Dried Oregano. Each serving provides about 604.09 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole?
- It is a Tex-Mex casserole recipe made with 13 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
- What is Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole made of?
- The main ingredients are Chicken Breast, Crushed Tomatoes, Dried Chile Peppers, Dried Oregano, Garlic. The full list of 13 is above.
- What goes well with Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole?
- Explore these Tex-Mex side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole?
- About 3 hrs 55 mins in total: 40 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 15 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 604.09 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Southwestern Chicken Tamale Casserole easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 13 ingredients and 9 steps.
How easyChef Pro Scores This Recipe
easyChef Pro gives every recipe a health score from 0 to 100, built from more than 30 nutritional parameters including nutrient density, energy density and glycemic impact. It calculates rather than estimates, so the same recipe returns the same score every time.
The number is traceable. You can see exactly which nutrient moved it, so a dish scoring 78 might show fiber pushing it up while sodium pulls it down, alongside the NOVA processing level of each ingredient.
Your health goal changes the calculation itself, not just a filter. easyChef Pro applies clinically derived weighting across six health dimensions, which is why the same dish can score well for one goal and poorly for another.
Swap an ingredient or change the serving size and that math changes with it. Scoring your own version is the only way to see what your kitchen actually produces.
Modified this recipe?
Changing ingredients or serving sizes changes the nutrition profile. Score your own version with easyChef Pro to see how it compares.