Instant Pot Tamales

These Instant Pot tamales are filled with a tasty green chile chicken filling and can be made in half of the time compared to usual preparation.

I'm a huge fan of Mexican recipes - from chicken fajita nachos to carne asada street tacos to chicken mole enchiladas to a vegetarian burrito bowl.

But one thing I had never made until today were tamales. If you've never had one, you are missing out. Consisting of masa with your favorite filling stuffed inside, it is then wrapped in corn husks and steamed until cooked through.

While the filling can vary - from pork to cheese to veggies. I'm actually a fan of green chile chicken with some cheese mixed in.

It is for sure a labor of love but oh so worth it. The problem is the time commitment, and that's where the Instant Pot comes into play. It cuts the cook time in half. Instead of steaming for at least an hour, it only takes about 35 minutes.

And don't worry, these Instant Pot tamales tastes just as amazing as if you cooked in the steamer.

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• Ingredient Swaps
• Step-by-Step Photos
• FAQs
• Serving Suggestions
• Equipment
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Instant Pot Recipes
• Instant Pot Tamales

Ingredient Notes

• Corn husks - you need dried corn husks. You can buy at a specialty store or order online.
• Lard - the fat from the pig that is traditionally used in tamales.
• Baking powder - helps make a light, fluffy and tender tamale.
• Masa harina - maize dough that comes from ground nixtamalized corn.
• Diced green chiles - I prefer mild, but you can also get hot green chiles.
• Rotisserie chicken - don't have to waste time cooking the chicken.
• Spices - enhances the flavors of the filling.
• Cheese - I like having a little gooey factor for these Instant Pot tamales.

Ingredient Swaps

As with any recipe, you can mix and match your ingredients. Some variations include:

• Lard is traditional but canola or vegetable oil or even melted butter can be used.
• I like chicken broth as it isn't overly salty, but low-sodium chicken stock is a good substitute.
• If you don’t have rotisserie chicken, you can cook 1 lbs fresh boneless chicken. Just heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté for 4 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked through.
• If you don't have or like chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or just cheese can be substituted.
• If you don't have white onions, sweet, yellow, red onions or shallots will work too. They all high slightly different flavors.
• While I use Monterey jack cheese for most Mexican dishes, pepper jack or even cheddar are good substitutes.

Step-by-Step Photos

Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.

Add the corn husks to a large bowl with boiled water. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Now beat the lard and 2 tablespoon of broth in a large bowl until fluffy.

Mix together the dry ingredients for the filling in a bowl and slowly add to the lard, beating until combined.

Add the broth to the masa dough and beat on high until it is spreadable like peanut butter. Let rest while heating a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions with some oil, cooking for 5 minutes before adding the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the green chiles and masa harina, cooking for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add in the chicken, spices and cheese, stirring to combine.

Place a corn husk smooth side up. Add ¼ cup of the masa and spread so it is about a 4 inch square. Add some filling down the center.

Fold in one side and then fold the other side so it overlaps.

Fold the bottom of the husk up and repeat with the remaining tamales. Fill the bottom of the Instant Pot with 1 ½ cups of water and add the trivet rack. Lay 4 corn husks on top and place the tamales in the rack with the open end facing up.

Place lid on and set valve to "Sealing." Press "Manual" and set on high pressure for 35 minutes before allowing it to release naturally. Let the tamales stand on a baking sheet for 15 minutes before serving.

FAQs

Serving Suggestions

These Instant Pot tamales are great on their own, but you can always add some delicious toppings or sides. Some options include:

• Homemade Guacamole
• Yellow Rice
• Corn Mango Salsa
• Refried Beans
• Sour Cream

Equipment

The equipment you use is important to how the Instant Pot tamales recipe turns out. What is needed is the following:

• Stand Mixer - you can also use a hand mixer with mixing bowls.
• Large bowl - used to whisk together the dry ingredients.
• Skillet - you need to be able to cook the chorizo and veggies.
• Instant Pot - used to cook the tamales.
• Baking sheet - helps let the tamales cool evenly.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• You can test the masa by taking a small piece and dropping it into a cup of warm water. If it is floating, it is ready. If it sinks, add some more lard, beat for another minute and test again.
• Don’t use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn’t taste as good and also has addition ingredients that you don’t need. Just buy blocks of cheese and grate yourself.
• Use a cookie scoop so you get an even amount of filling every time.
• Add some fresh avocado to give the dish some healthy fat.

Other Instant Pot Recipes

If you’ve tried this Instant Pot tamales recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.