Gluten Court · glutencourt.com · Recipe version 1 · Awaiting Trial

Chicken Tamales in Corn Husks

Awaiting Trial Recipe version 1 · Filed by the Court (seed pool) · Adapted from 'Tamales' — Farmers' Bulletin 565, 'Corn Meal as a Food and Ways of Using It,' USDA, issued Jan. 22, 1914, revised Sept. 1917 (public domain, U.S. federal work). Measures and oven temperatures modernized. Naturally gluten-free as published; distinct from Tamale Pie-style dishes — these are individually husk-wrapped.

Seasoned rolls of chopped chicken are wrapped in a thick cornmeal paste, then in softened corn husks, and simmered in the chicken's own broth. This is the bulletin's 1917 method, start to finish.

Category: MainsServes: 4Time: 90 minComplexity: 4/5

Why this complexity: Specialty ingredient: dried corn husks; Hand-forming and tying each tamale; Technique-sensitive paste consistency.

Ingredients

  • Meat from 1/2 boiled chicken (about 2 cups chopped), broth reserved
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus salt for the cooking water
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • Boiling water, as needed
  • 12 dried corn husks, softened in hot water
  • 2 or 3 small dried red chiles

Method

  1. Season the chopped chicken with the salt, cayenne, and garlic or onion. Form into little rolls about 2 inches long and 3/4 inch thick.
  2. Pour boiling water over the cornmeal a little at a time, stirring, until you have a thick paste that holds its shape.
  3. Take a heaping tablespoon of paste, pat it flat in your palm, wrap it around a chicken roll, and seal.
  4. Wrap each roll in a softened corn husk and tie the husk with string (or thin husk strips) close to each end. Trim the husks so they extend an inch or two past the roll.
  5. Lay the tamales in a pot, cover with the reserved chicken broth or boiling salted water, and add the dried red chiles.
  6. Simmer for 15 minutes. Lift out, untie, and serve hot in the husks.

The verdict so far

No testimony yet. This recipe is Awaiting Trial — the empty docket is the invitation. Make it and file the first report.

Log in to deliberate (vote) — voting needs a free account.

I made this — file testimony Print

Something off about this recipe? Report it to the moderators.

Testimony

No testimony on the record yet.