Experience the joy of home-cooked perfection with our Chicken Tamale Casserole, blending the classic tamale taste with an effortless, delicious twist!
I love this Chicken Tamale Casserole because it is packed with flavor and is easy enough to make on a weeknight. The filling is easy to put together by simply adding pulled chicken, chicken broth, chile verde sauce, cilantro and garlic powder to a large skillet to simmer while you prepare the tamale dough. Then bake and voila, a delicious meal at your fingertips!
This is a family favorite recipe as is my Pork Tamale Casserole which we love serving alongside my Mexican Corn on the Cob, and Black Beans and Rice.
Table of Contents
What is Masa Harina?
Masa harina is the traditional flour used to make tortillas, tamales, and other Mexican dishes. The flour is made from dried masa, a dough from specially treated corn.
It is not the same thing as cornmeal, so don’t substitute it and think you’ll get the same flavor, texture, or consistency. You can find masa harina at most well-stocked grocery stores, usually in the ‘ethnic‘ food aisle.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chile Verde Enchilada Sauce: This sauce adds a tangy, slightly spicy kick.
- Masa Harina: The foundation of the tamale dough, masa harina contributes a unique, slightly sweet corn flavor.
- Roasted Poblanos: They provide a smoky, mildly spicy flavor, adding depth and a slight heat to the dish.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chicken Tamale Casserole
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.
Step 2: In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add the chicken, broth, sauce, cilantro, and garlic powder. Heat while preparing the remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally.
Step 3: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the masa, salt, sugar, baking powder, pepper, butter, 2 cups of corn, and poblanos. Process or pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add chicken broth and process or pulse until the mixture reaches a thick peanut butter consistency. More broth (or water) may be required. Fold in the remaining 1 cup of corn.
Step 4: Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of cheese, then add the chicken filling. Sprinkle with another ¾ cup of cheese. Press the remaining tamale dough over the top.
Step 5: Cover with 1 cup of chile verde sauce and the remaining 1 ½ cup cheese. Place a piece of foil over the top and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Top with cilantro, if desired.
FAQs
Yes, you can certainly substitute cheddar cheese or any other cheese you prefer. Just note that it could slightly change the overall flavor of the dish.
Yes, fresh masa is a great alternative. It gives the dough a more authentic flavor and texture.
Storage Info
STORE the Chicken Tamale Casserole in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will remain fresh for up to 3 days. You can also FREEZE it for up to 3 months, ensuring it’s well-wrapped or in a freezer-safe container.
To REHEAT, thaw it in the refrigerator if frozen, then warm it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) until heated through, which typically takes about 20 minutes. Avoid microwaving to preserve the texture of the tamale dough.
Side Dishes to Pair With This Tamale Casserole
Chicken Tamale Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 rotisserie chicken - pulled (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup chile verde enchilada sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
For the tamale dough:
- 3 cup masa harina*
- 2 tsp coarse kosher sea salt
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 12 Tbsp unsalted butter - cold and cut into 12 pieces
- 3 cup frozen corn - thawed, divided
- 2-4 Tbsp roasted poblanos - depending on how spicy you want it
- 2 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth- more if needed
Other:
- 3 cup grated monterey jack cheese - divided
- 1 cup chile verde enchilada sauce
- 2 Tbsp cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius). Lightly grease or spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, and set it aside.
- In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, add the chicken, broth, sauce, cilantro, and garlic powder. Heat while preparing the remaining ingredients, stirring occasionally.
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the masa, salt, sugar, baking powder, pepper, butter, 2 cups of corn, and poblanos. Process or pulse until a coarse meal forms. Add chicken broth and process or pulse until the mixture reaches a thick peanut butter consistency. More broth (or water) may be required. Fold in the remaining 1 cup of corn.
- Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of cheese, then add the chicken filling. Sprinkle with another ¾ cup of cheese. Press the remaining tamale dough over the top.
- Cover with 1 cup of chile verde sauce and the remaining 1 ½ cup cheese. Place a piece of foil over the top and place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Top with cilantro, if desired.
I love Chili Verde. I am so excited to try this!
Anyone ever make this recipes using a red enchilada sauce, instead of the Chile verde sauce? Wondering how it would taste?
I have not tried this recipe using a red enchilada sauce but I’m interested to find out. Let me know if you try it. I would love to hear how it goes!
I made it first according to recipe exactly- that was awesome. Then I played around with it, adobo chilis in the dough instead of poblano, red enchilada sauce and shredded beef- that was really good too- only used monterrey jack on that. It’s so nice to have that rich toothsome tamale sensation with NONE of the traditional tamale making insanity! 🙂
Thank you for sharing your changes and your review!
I love this recipe! It is fantastic and I just made it for the second time today. We have two kids with gluten allergies so I am always looking at new GF dinner ideas. My only change is the prep time- 10 minutes is way too short. It’s taken about 45 minutes each time. Totally worth it, but you need to plan ahead!
I love that! I am so glad you like it! Thank you!
Is this made with instant mass harina ?
I guess some say instant & some don’t, but yes 🙂
2 questions: Aren’t tamales (masa) usually made with lard? Also, do the corn husks on tamales impart a certain flavor? – if so, could I put a layer of soaked husks on bottom and top of this casserole?
I’m thinking of steaming this casserole rather than baking. I have an InstantPot Gem, which has a rack for steaming. I’m thinking this way would be more like tamales. ???
Thanks
They might be..this is just how we make this specific recipe. I don’t make a lot of tamales on their own. The husks don’t give off a bold flavor or anything, so you for sure could add them on the top & bottom. I haven’t tried steaming them, but that could be a great option!