Corn Husk Chicken Tamales Recipe

Finding time to make homemade tamales from scratch can feel impossible when you’re juggling work, family, and everything else life throws your way. Between getting the kids to their activities and managing busy weeknight dinners, those labor-intensive traditional recipes often get pushed to the back burner, even when you’re craving that authentic flavor.

That’s where this chicken tamales recipe comes in handy: it breaks down the process into manageable steps that work with your schedule, uses ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store, and delivers all that comforting, home-cooked taste your family will love.

What Kind of Masa Harina Should I Use?

For tamales, you’ll want to use masa harina specifically made for tamales, which is different from the masa harina used for tortillas. Maseca is probably the most common brand you’ll find at grocery stores, and it works perfectly for this recipe. The tamale masa harina has a slightly coarser texture that helps create the right consistency when mixed with lard and broth. You can usually find it in the international aisle or near the flour section of most supermarkets. If you can only find regular masa harina, it will still work, but the texture might be a bit finer than traditional tamale masa.

Options for Substitutions

While tamales are pretty traditional, there are some swaps you can make if needed:

• Masa Harina: This is one ingredient you really can’t substitute – masa harina is essential for authentic tamales. Regular cornmeal or flour won’t give you the right texture or flavor, so it’s worth seeking out at a Mexican grocery store or ordering online.
• Lard: If you can’t find lard or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with vegetable shortening or softened butter. The texture will be slightly different, but your tamales will still turn out tasty. Use the same amount as called for.
• Dried corn husks: In a pinch, you can use parchment paper or aluminum foil cut into rectangles, though corn husks give the best traditional flavor. If using paper or foil, tie with kitchen twine instead of husk strips.
• Broth: Any type of broth works here – chicken, beef, or vegetable all do the job. You can even use water with a bouillon cube if that’s what you have on hand.
• Fillings: Get creative with your fillings! Try shredded beef, pork carnitas, cheese and jalapeños, or even sweet versions with cinnamon and raisins. Just make sure any meat is fully cooked and not too wet.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making tamales is not soaking your corn husks long enough – they need at least 30 minutes in warm water to become pliable, or they’ll tear when you try to wrap them. Another common error is making the masa too thick or dry, which results in dense, heavy tamales instead of light and fluffy ones – your masa should be beaten until it’s so airy that a small ball of it floats in water. Don’t overfill your tamales with filling either, as this makes them impossible to seal properly and causes them to burst open during steaming. Finally, resist the urge to peek too often while they’re steaming – each time you lift the lid, you release steam and extend the cooking time, so let them cook undisturbed for about 60-90 minutes until the masa pulls away easily from the husk.

What to Serve With Chicken Tamales?

Tamales are pretty filling on their own, but I love serving them with some classic Mexican sides that complement those rich, steamy flavors. A big scoop of Mexican rice and some refried beans make the perfect plate – the rice soaks up any extra salsa verde, and the beans add that creamy texture that goes so well with the masa. Don’t forget to set out some fresh salsa, sour cream, and maybe some pickled jalapeños on the side for people to customize their plates. A simple side salad with lime vinaigrette or some Mexican street corn (elote) also makes a great addition if you want to round out the meal.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Fresh tamales will stay good in the fridge for about 4-5 days when wrapped individually in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. I like to keep them in their corn husks since it helps maintain moisture and flavor. They’re perfect for grabbing throughout the week for quick meals!

Freeze: Tamales are fantastic for freezing and actually freeze really well! Wrap each tamale individually in plastic wrap, then place them in freezer bags or containers for up to 6 months. This is great when you make a big batch – you’ll have homemade tamales ready whenever you want them.

Warm Up: To warm refrigerated tamales, steam them for about 15-20 minutes or microwave them (still in the husk) for 1-2 minutes. For frozen ones, you can steam them straight from the freezer for about 25-30 minutes, or thaw them overnight first. The steaming method really brings back that fresh-made texture!

Preparation Time	60-90 minutes
Cooking Time	45-60 minutes
Total Time	105-150 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3700-4100
• Protein: 80-100 g
• Fat: 190-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-470 g

Ingredients

For the masa dough:

• 1 tsp ground cumin (for best flavor and aroma)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 cups masa harina
• 3 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
• 1 1/3 cups lard (I use a high-quality rendered pork lard for this)
• 1 tsp salt

For assembly:

• 8 oz dried corn husks (soaked in hot water until pliable)

For the fillings (choose one or more):

• Beans and cheese (see notes for recipe)
• Red chile pork
• Salsa verde chicken (see notes for recipe)

For serving (optional):

• Authentic mexican rice

Step 1: Soak the Corn Husks

• 8 oz dried corn husks

Place the dried corn husks in a large bowl and cover them with very hot water.

Let the husks soak for at least 30 minutes, or until they become soft and pliable.

You can occasionally press them down with a plate to keep them submerged.

Step 2: Prepare the Fillings

• red chile pork
• salsa verde chicken (see notes for recipe)
• beans and cheese (see notes for recipe)

While the husks are soaking, prepare your choice of tamale fillings such as red chile pork, salsa verde chicken, or beans and cheese.

Make sure the fillings are fully cooked and cooled to room temperature to prevent the dough from becoming too wet when assembling.

For extra flavor, I like to season my fillings generously and have them ready in advance.

Step 3: Make the Tamal Dough (Masa)

• 1 1/3 cups lard
• 3 cups broth (chicken, beef, or vegetable)
• 4 cups masa harina
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cumin

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the lard and 2 tablespoons of broth until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the masa harina, baking powder, salt, and ground cumin.

Add the dry ingredients to the lard mixture and mix until combined.

Gradually add the remaining broth, mixing on high speed after each addition, until you achieve a soft dough that is slightly sticky and spreads like creamy peanut butter.

Cover the dough with a damp paper towel to keep it from drying out.

Step 4: Assemble the Tamales

• softened corn husks from Step 1
• masa dough from Step 3
• prepared fillings from Step 2

Lay a softened corn husk, glossy side up, on the counter with the wide end at the top.

Place about 1/4 cup of masa dough onto the center, near the top.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the dough and use your hands to press and spread it into a thin, even layer about 1/4 inch thick, covering the top half of the husk.

Remove the plastic wrap.

Place 1-2 tablespoons of your desired filling in a line down the center of the dough.

Fold in one long side of the husk over the filling, then fold the other long side over to overlap like a brochure.

Fold the bottom of the husk up to close.

Repeat with remaining dough and fillings.

If making different kinds, you can use small corn husk strips to tie and identify each type—this takes more time, but can be helpful and looks authentic.

I like to assemble all my tamales at once to keep the workflow smooth.

Step 5: Steam the Tamales

• assembled tamales from Step 4
• extra softened corn husks from Step 1
• water (quantity depends on steamer used)

Add water to the bottom of your steamer or Instant Pot (about 1 cup for Instant Pot, or a few cups for stovetop steamer—do not fill above the rack).

Line the rack with a few extra softened corn husks to keep tamales from touching direct water.

Stand assembled tamales upright, with the open ends facing up, packing them fairly tightly so they stay upright.

For stovetop, cover with additional soaked husks or a damp towel, and cover the pot.

Bring water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tamales pull cleanly from husks.

For Instant Pot, seal and cook on Manual/High Pressure for 25 minutes, then allow 10 minutes natural release before quick releasing the pressure.

To test for doneness, remove a tamale—if the husk peels away cleanly, they’re ready; otherwise, steam for 5-10 more minutes and test again.

I like to listen for the coin trick—if you place a coin at the bottom of the pot and it starts tapping, it means the water is still boiling!

Step 6: Serve the Tamales

• authentic Mexican rice

Once the tamales are cooked and the husks peel away cleanly, serve them hot with a side of authentic Mexican rice or your favorite salsa.

Enjoy immediately, or store leftover tamales in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days.

I find tamales taste even better after the flavors have melded overnight—simply re-steam or microwave to reheat before serving.