Green Chicken Tamales (Tamales de Pollo en Salsa Verde)

These Green Chicken Tamales are made with tender shredded chicken, tangy salsa verde, and soft, fluffy masa. They’re a delicious Mexican favorite for holidays and special occasions.

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A Green Chicken Tamale (Tamales de Pollo en Salsa Verde) sits on a decorative plate, partially unwrapped from its corn husk and topped with vibrant green salsa. A fork rests on the plate beside it.

Green Chicken Tamales (Tamales de Pollo en Salsa Verde) 🫔 are Mexican tamales made with tender shredded chicken, flavorful salsa verde, and soft masa wrapped in corn husks. They’re a favorite for Christmas, tamaladas, and special occasions.

If you love tamales, also try my Tamales Rojos.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe ❤️

Classic Mexican flavor. Tender chicken and tangy salsa verde make a delicious filling for soft, fluffy masa.
Perfect for holidays. These green chicken tamales are a favorite for Christmas, celebrations, and tamaladas.
Make-ahead friendly. Cook the chicken and prepare the salsa or masa ahead of time to break up the work.
Freezer friendly. Make a large batch and freeze the extras for an easy meal later.
Great for a tamalada. Get family and friends together and make tamales as a group. The work goes much faster when everyone pitches in!

-Maggie

Four images show steps for boiling chicken: pouring water over raw chicken, chicken cooking with onions and bay leaves, cooked chicken in broth, and two forks shredding cooked chicken pieces.

Instructions

🐓 For the filling

Place chicken in a large stockpot.
Add garlic, bay leaf, onion, salt and pepper.
Then add 10 cups of water, or enough water to cover the entire chicken.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool. Strain and save the broth for another recipe.
Once the chicken has cooled, separate the meat from the bones.
Set chicken meat aside. Discard the bones.

Be careful with those bones! Best to remove the meat, then check it again for bones.

Make ahead: The chicken can be cooked, shredded, and refrigerated a few days ahead of time. You can also use a rotisserie chicken to save time.

A hand holding a pot lid over a stainless steel pot filled with soaked corn husks. The corn husks are submerged in water, appearing soft and pliable.

🌽 How to Prepare the Husks

Separate the corn husks.
Remove any debris, corn hair, or bugs you may find.
Place the husks in a large pot and cover with hot water.
Add a heavy object, such as a pot lid, to keep them fully submerged.
Soak for at least 20 minutes. Overnight is even better.
The husks are ready when they are soft and pliable.

Those suckers like to float yet I’ve never seen them do the backstroke. That’s why putting something heavy on the corn husks will ensure they are submerged in water.

Four images show tamale masa preparation: mixing dry ingredients in a bowl, creaming shortening in a mixer, gradually combining into a dough reminiscent of masa for tamales, then scraping the fully mixed dough with a spatula in a metal bowl.

🥣 How to Make Masa for Tamales

Beat the lard with your mixer until it’s smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Combine masa harina, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the lard, alternating with the hot water.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often.
Continue mixing until a smooth dough forms. Set aside until ready to use.

Making masa for tamales is easier than you think. Most grocery stores nowadays sell masa harina to make masa.

Or, if you’re lucky enough to live near a Mexican grocery store, you can save some time and buy it already made.

Four-step collage showing how to make tamales: spreading masa on a corn husk, adding shredded chicken, spooning green sauce, and a hand holding the rolled, assembled tamale before cooking.

Assembling Tamales

Smear a thin layer of prepared masa on each corn husk.
Add a small amount of shredded chicken to the center of the masa.
Spoon salsa verde over the chicken, being careful not to overfill the tamale.
Fold one side of the corn husk in.
Fold the other side in.
Fold the pointy top to the center of the tamale.
Set standing up while assembling the other tamales.
Repeat until there are no more corn husks left.

This is no Henry Ford automated assembly line. Assembly requires hands.

A collage showing how to arrange the tamales inside a steamer pot.

💨 Steaming Tamales

Add 2 cups of hot water to a steamer pot.
Add the insert and place some corn husks on the insert.
Arrange the uncooked tamales upright in the steamer.
The tamales should be standing with the open side up.
Cover and cook on low for 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Turn off the heat and let the pot stand covered for 30 minutes.
The tamales are ready when masa peels away from the corn husks easily.

Corn husks break and rip. Use those for the bottom of the steamer pot.

Please Note: Old school Mexican cooks will tell you to add coins to the bottom of the pot. The rustling of the coins will tell you if there’s water in the pot. DO NOT do this! Coins are dirty, and there are metallic properties in coins.

A large silver metal pot with a lid is placed on a stove burner. The stove's digital clock displays 28:16. A whisk is visible in the background on a kitchen counter.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tips on Making Tamales

Use rotisserie chicken. It’s a great shortcut when you don’t want to cook a whole chicken.
Make the chicken ahead. Cook and shred the chicken a few days in advance and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble.
Use store-bought salsa verde. Homemade is delicious, but a good jarred salsa verde can save time.
Buy prepared masa. If your local Mexican grocery store sells fresh masa for tamales, use it!
Freeze leftover chicken. Cooked chicken can be frozen for up to 4 months.
Make it a tamalada. Get the kids, neighbors, and friends into the kitchen. Tamales are much more fun when everyone helps!
A faster cooking method. Try Instant Pot Pork Tamales or Instant Pot Chicken Tamales.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

What are green chicken tamales?

Green chicken tamales are Mexican tamales made with shredded chicken and green salsa, usually salsa verde made with tomatillos and green chiles. The filling is wrapped in masa and corn husks, then steamed until the masa is tender and cooked through.

What are green chicken tamales called in Spanish?

Green chicken tamales are commonly called tamales de pollo en salsa verde, tamales verdes de pollo, or tamales de pollo con salsa verde. The exact name can vary by region and family.

What kind of salsa verde is used for chicken tamales?

For these chicken tamales, I use homemade roasted tomatillo salsa verde. It gives the chicken a bright, tangy flavor. You can also use your favorite store-bought salsa verde to save time.

Can I use rotisserie chicken for green chicken tamales?

Yes. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut. Remove the skin and bones, shred the meat, and use it for the tamale filling.

Can I make green chicken tamales ahead of time?

Yes. You can prepare the chicken, salsa verde, masa, and corn husks ahead of time. You can also assemble the tamales in advance and refrigerate them until you’re ready to steam them.

How long do green chicken tamales take to steam?

These chicken tamales take about 1½ to 2 hours to steam. Check the water occasionally and add more hot water if needed so the steamer does not run dry.

Can I use store-bought salsa verde for chicken tamales?

Yes. You can use homemade or store-bought salsa verde for these green chicken tamales. A prepared salsa verde is an easy shortcut when you want to save time.

A Green Chicken Tamale (Tamales de Pollo en Salsa Verde) with vibrant green salsa sits on a corn husk, placed on a decorative plate with a fork on the side.

🫔 More Tamales Recipes

Green Chicken Tamales take some time to make, but they’re worth the effort. Make a big batch, invite family and friends over, and turn it into a tamalada. There’s nothing quite like enjoying homemade tamales together, especially during the holidays.