Chicken and Olive Tamale Pie

Delicioso!

I saw this recipe while browsing through Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  Mexican dishes are some of my favorite cuisine, and a casserole makes cooking for guests easy and fast.  There are only a few ingredients, and if you want to make it even easier,  you can use a rotisserie chicken or left-over chicken from a previous meal.  This recipe calls for green salsa, (salsa verde, made with tomatillos), but if you prefer, red is equally delicious.  The green salsa gives it a zesty tang.  My husband and I are getting ready to make a road trip to Texas this spring, so this dish will get our taste buds ready.  Although, I am sure there will be several recipes I will want to blog from our trip.  They will be the real deal.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal or polenta
• 1- 147 3/4 oz. can cream-style corn
• 1- lb. shredded cooked chicken (3 cups)
• 1- 16 oz. jar of green salsa
• 1/3 cup green olives, can use pimento-stuffed if preferred
• 1 tomato thinly sliced 
• 1/3 cup queso fresco or feta cheese, optional
• for garnish, snipped cilantro, green onion, and chili powder

Printable version of recipe:  Chicken & Olive Tamale Pie

In a large saucepan bring 1-1/4 cups water to boiling and gradually whisk in corn meal or polenta. 

Reduce heat.  Cool, whisking constantly for 3 minutes.
 

Stir in cream style corn, return to boiling.

Reduce heat to medium low.  Cook, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.

Gather the remaining ingredients.

Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Slice the green olives.

Add olives to jar of green salsa in mixing bowl.

Add cooked chicken.

Mix thoroughly.

Pour into prepared 1-1/2 qt. casserole dish.

Spoon cornmeal mixture over chicken mixture.

Spread cornmeal evenly over chicken and salsa mixture. 

Top with tomato slices.
Bake in preheated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes 
until mixture is heated through.

Prepare garnish by slicing green onions and chopping cilantro.
Chili powder may be sprinkled on top, if desired.

Add garnish to cooked casserole and serve.
Queso fresco or feta cheese may be added to taste.

Comer con gusto!

Zeke

Grandpa & Cam

A Little History...

According to "La Historia General de las Cosas de la Nueva" by Fray Bernardino, in the XVI century Monctezuma had servants preparing many kinds of pasteles, not only of different shapes but also with many fillings.

The Spanish name "tamal", comes from the word "tamalli" from which is a dialect of the Aztecs.  It means food made with corn dough.

Many may say the word comes from Mexico just like the corn, but there is no specific evidence to conclude so.

Many names and many preparations.  This magnificent dish from Latin America helps keep traditions alive.  Making tamale recipes is a family affair.  If you make it "old style" it may take hours while involving parents, cousins, brothers, sisters, and friends.  If you make it "new style", it may just take a kit or steamer , and less time.
Many people ask what are the main differences between a tamale and a tamale pie.  The most important difference is that the first one is wrapped in a plantain, corn, avocado, bijao, or maguey leafs and uses a special dough made from the kernels of the corn that are dried and processed with lime.
Instead, the pie is like a casserole that uses cornmeal.  Another major difference is that the pie is baked instead of steamed or boiled. 
This food has all kinds of names depending on the country you are referring to.  In Columbia, Cuba, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Peru it is tamal.  Americans call it tamale.
This food has a special place in Hispanic culture.  It is a central dish in many countries during Christmas, and its fame reaches many places in North, Central and South America as the most representative meal of the Latin culture.

For more history and ingredients for tamales click here. More on Tamales