Instant Pot Tamales

Instant Pot tamale cut in half with fork on plate

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.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 35

Servings

Calories 246kcal

Author Ryan Beck

Ingredients

Corn Husks

28 corn husks
boiling water

Masa

1 ⅓ cups lard
3 cups chicken broth, divided
4 cups masa harina
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Green Chile Chicken Filling

2 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup white onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup diced green chiles
1 tablespoon masa harina
3 cups shredded chicken (rotisserie or cooked)
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Instructions

Add the corn husks to a large bowl. Boil some water and pour just enough over the corn husks to completely cover them. Cover the boil with foil and let them soak for 30 minutes.
Beat together the lard and 2 tablespoon of broth in a large bowl until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix together the masa, baking powder, cumin and salt in a bowl. Slowly add the masa mixture to the lard and beat until combined.
Add the broth in small increments to form a soft dough. Beat on high speed for about 5 minutes. It should spread like peanut butter. Cover with a damp towel while preparing the filling.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, cooking for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, cooking for another 30 seconds.
Add green chiles and masa harina and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute and then remove from heat. Then add shredded chicken, chili powder, cumin, salt and cheese, stirring to combine.
Grab a corn husk and find the smooth side, placing it smooth side up with the wide end at the top. Add about ¼ cup of the masa onto the top, center area of the corn husk. Spread into into a 4 inch square.
Add 1-2 tablespoon of the filling in a line down the center of the dough. Fold in one long side of the husk over the filling and then fold in the other side so it overlaps. Fold the bottom of the husk up. Repeat with remaining tamales.
Fill the bottom of the Instant Pot with 1 ½ cups of water and then insert the trivet rack. Lay 4 corn husks flat over the rack. Place the tamales on the rack with the open end facing up. You should be able to fit 24 tamales in.
Place lid on Instant Pot and set valve to "Sealing." Press "Manual" and set on high pressure for 35 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
Remove the lid and transfer the tamales to a baking sheet. Let stand for 15–30 minutes to set up before serving.

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.

Nutrition