Instant Pot Chicken Tamales + VIDEO

Published: Oct 28, 2021 · Updated: Nov 7, 2024 by Maggie Unzueta

Instant Pot Chicken Tamales made from scratch and ready in no time. Stuffed with a savory and delicious filling and wrapped in corn husks. Served with salsa verde. Perfect for any special occasion.

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Tamales assembled and stacked in an instant pot.

Instant Pot Chicken Tamales – YES PLEASE!

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Making homemade tamales is a big deal. There’s a lot involved from making the masa for tamales to preparing the corn husks.

Why make it more complicated? Here’s an authentic Mexican recipe made in almost HALF the time as the traditional way.

For Father’s Day, Christmas, or any special occasion, you have to try this delicious instant pot tamales recipe.

Also check out: Instant Pot Red Pork Tamales

Step-by-Step Instructions

A collage showing how to cook and shred chicken.

Add raw chicken, salt, pepper, bay leaf, onion, and garlic to a large stock pot.
Cover with water. Cook for 45 minutes.
Let cool before shredding.

Discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf. Reserve the chicken broth for another day.

You can very easily use rotisserie chicken. Just remove the skin.

We are following the same recipe as traditional Chicken Salsa Verde Tamales but cooked faster.

👩🏼‍🍳 Pro Tip:

Save yourself time and make the filling DAYS before the assembling happens.

Cook the chicken up to 4 months ahead and freeze in a sealable bag and up to 5 days in the fridge.

🫔 More Tamales Recipes

How to Make Salsa Verde

Shred the chicken and add roasted salsa verde recipe.
Cook on low heat.

You want the mixture to be saucy. Mexican food is all about the sauce.

Yes, you can use store bought green salsa.

🌽 How to Prepare the Corn Husks

Separate the dry corn husks and remove any debris like hairs.
Soak them for 20 minutes in hot water.

Do the corn husks move easily?

If so, great. You’re in business.
If not, then add more hot water and let them soak longer.

To make tamale making go faster, soak the husks the night BEFORE. Then drain and rinse before assembling.

This way, the corn husks are ready to go.

🥣 Masa for Tamales

Tamale masa in a mixing bowl with a mixing attachment.

There’s no shame in buying pre-made masa dough.

For those you interested in a healthier option, there’s also Masa with Olive Oil.

It is completely vegan and 100% better for you than the lard kind.

How to Assemble Tamales

A collage showing to assemble chicken tamales.

Spread thin layer of masa with the back of a spoon.
Add about a tablespoon of cooked chicken (depending on the size of your tamal) to the center of the masa.
Spoon over salsa verde.
Fold both sides in and over the chicken filling. Fold the pointy top inward.
Set aside and repeat.

Tamales need to be cooked upright.

Because we are making these tamales in an Instant Pot, make sure to fold them SHORTER than longer.

The tamales can be fat, but not too tall, or the lid won’t fit.

For the Newbie Tamale Maker:

Get a little help from your friends. Invite them over to help with the assembling.
Or, ask them to bring different tamale fillings.

⏰ How to Cook Tamales in the Instant Pot

A collage showing how to arrange tamales inside an instant pot.

Insert trivet, or crate, to the bottom of the instant pot.
Add water to the bottom. This is only 1 cup of water.
Assemble the tamales on top of the trivet, open end facing upward.

The trivet will create a small lift so the tamales are NOT sitting in water while cooking. Almost like a steam rack.

Downside to Instant Pot Tamales:

You can only make a small batch. You can’t make a huge amount like with traditional steamers.

A collage showing how to cook tamales in an instant pot.

Place lid. Set the valve to SEALING.
Adjust the cook time settings. Set timer.
Once the cycle is complete, move valve to venting, or steam release, for a quick release.
Let the tamales sit in the steamer pot for 10 minutes. DO NOT open the lid!

What if the tamales are not ready after 10 minutes?

If after 10 minutes, the tamales are still mushy, add more water to the bottom of the pot, cover with lid, set valve to sealing, press HIGH PRESSURE button, and cook for 5 minutes. Release the valve. Let them sit again for an additional 10 minutes.

Instant Pot Chicken Tamales Served in a decorative Christmas platter.

🙋🏻‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my tamales mushy in the instant pot?

The masa needs to come together and set. Let the tamales sit in the instant pot for 10 minutes before testing a tamal, or they will be mushy. After 10 minutes, open the lid and test a tamal. Tamales are ready when they peel away from the corn husks easily.

How do you steam pre-cooked tamales in an instant pot?

Add 1 cup of water to the instant pot. Place the trivet in the pot.
Arrange the tamales. Cover with the lid. Move valve to sealing. Pressure Cook High. Set timer. 5 minutes for thawed tamales, and 15 minutes for frozen tamales. Release the valve. Let sit with the lid on for 5 minutes before removing.

How do you steam tamales in an instant pot without a steamer basket?

If you don’t have a trivet or steamer basket, roll up a few balls of aluminum foil. Add the water. Then, place a heat-proof safe bowl above the balls. A broken sieve without a handle or mesh strainer would work great! Then assemble the tamales upright as best as you can. They need to be lifted above the water in order to steam. Also note, that you might not be able to cook many tamales.

How Many Tamales Fit in an Instant Pot?

I own an 8-quart Instant Pot and 16 big tamales fit perfectly. About 2 dozen small tamales, but it really depends on the size of your instant pot AND the size of your tamales.

An instant pot chicken tamal sitting on top of a corn husk and topped with salsa verde.

More Tamales Recipes

🍴How to Serve Tamales

I like to add a big spoonful of salsa verde or salsa roja on top of the tamales. Or, for breakfast, serve with a sunny-side up egg. Some people will add sour cream. And you can’t forget the Champurrado, or if it’s the holidays Ponche Navideño!

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About Maggie Unzueta

Maggie Unzueta is the face behind In Mama Maggie's Kitchen. She has been publishing Mexican recipes and creating delicious recipes since 2010. From family recipes to her extensive travels throughout Mexico, she brings traditional Mexican flavors from South of the Border and into your kitchen. Maggie has been featured in notable culinary websites and other media outlets. For more details, check out her About page.