Tamales are something that I definitely have never attempted to make at home. However, I have made a chicken tamale casserole.
This chicken tamale casserole gives you all the favor of tamales with out all the work. Plus, it comes together in about 10 minutes. The longest part of this recipe is waiting for the tamale casserole to cook in the oven. It takes about 40 minutes.
The corn dough for the casserole is made using a Jiffy cornbread mix along with some canned creamed corn, egg, milk, chili powder, cumin, and cheddar cheese. This gets partially baked in a 9 x 13 pan for 20 minutes.
Then you remove it from the oven and poke the dough with a knife all over. Think of what you do when making a poke cake. Then you pour enchilada sauce over the dough. The sauce will seep into this spots that have been poked with the knife. Then you just sprinkle the cooked cheese and chicken over the dough and bake it for another 20 minutes.
This casserole is another recipe that I love to use rotisserie chicken for. My favorite thing is to get that package of all rotisserie chicken from Costco. It’s all white meat and it’s already pulled off the chicken for you.
Here is what you need to make the
Chicken Tamale Casserole
- JIFFY CORN MUFFIN MIX
- CANNED CREAM-STYLE CORN
- EGGS
- MILK
- CHILI POWDER
- CUMIN
- SHREDDED CHEESE BLEND (LIKE A CHEDDAR AND MONTERREY JACK BLEND)
- ENCHILADA SAUCE
- CHICKEN
- TOPPINGS SUCH AS – DICED TOMATO, SOUR CREAM, GUACAMOLE, SHREDDED LETTUCE, SLICED BLACK OLIVES CHOPPED GREEN ONIONS, FINELY CHOPPED CILANTRO, OR SALSA
Chicken Tamale Caserole
Ingredients
- 1 (8.5 oz) pkg Jiffy corn muffin mix
- 1 (14.5 oz) can cream-style corn
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 cups shredded cheese blend, divided (I like a cheddar and Monterrey jack blend
- 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- Toppings such as – diced tomato, sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce, sliced black olives
- chopped green onions, finely chopped cilantro, or salsa
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9×13 inch casserole dish with non stick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the corn muffin mix, cream-style corn, eggs, milk, chili powder, cumin and 1 cup of cheese together. Pour the mixture into the casserole dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven and use a knife to poke the cornbread mixture several times all over. Pour the enchilada sauce all over the top of the casserole. Then top with the shredded chicken and remaining cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for an additional 20 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing into squares. Serve with desired toppings.
Recipe adapted from I Wash, You Dry.