Let me introduce you to our new favorite meal.
When I told Eddie I was making chicken tamale pie, he was skeptical—he didn’t know what it was. The minute I said “cornbread base,” though, he was sold before I even listed the rest of the ingredients.
This skillet has everything he loves and everything I love too. We are going to eat this forever.
It’s not the prettiest dish when it’s served hot—there’s no way to present it without it looking a little messy—but that doesn’t take away from how delicious it is. Don’t judge by looks. Also, can we take a moment for the cheese?
Oh my gosh.
This tamale pie is a bit high-maintenance if you make everything from scratch: a homemade cornbread base and a homemade enchilada sauce. Neither takes long, but you will have a few dishes to wash. If you’re in a rush, use the shortcuts: boxed cornbread mix, canned enchilada sauce and rotisserie chicken. It still tastes great.
If you do want to go homemade, the enchilada sauce here only takes about ten minutes and is full of flavor. The ingredient list looks long, but it’s mostly pantry spices—chili powder and cumin are the most important. Smoked paprika or cayenne can be left out if you don’t have them.
For the chicken, rotisserie works wonderfully. I used leftover shredded chicken from a Thai chicken soup. I also added canned green chiles and roasted corn from Trader Joe’s. Roasted corn can be strong, so use it sparingly, but it added a lovely roasted note here.
This combination tastes like a dream.
Make it your own: add black beans, serve with rice or keep it as a complete skillet meal. It’s filling, comforting and very satisfying. We loved it so much I can see making it every couple of weeks through the season.
Bonus: it reheats beautifully.
So now you know what’s for dinner tonight.
Cheesy Chicken Tamale Pie
6
1 hr
Ingredients
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cornbread Base
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely ground cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup cooked corn (I used roasted corn)
- 4 ounces freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese
Chicken Topping
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1/3 cup cooked corn
- 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles
- 6 ounces freshly grated white cheddar cheese
- Sliced green onions for topping
- Fresh cilantro for topping
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Enchilada Sauce
- Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, whisk to combine, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes. Set aside.
Cornbread Base
- In a large bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl whisk melted butter, milk and egg. Stir wet ingredients into dry until just combined. Fold in corn and cheddar.
- Pour the batter into a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake 15–18 minutes, until just set. Remove and poke holes in the cornbread. Drizzle about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the top.
Chicken Topping
- In a bowl stir together the chicken, green chiles and corn. Mix in the remaining enchilada sauce (about 1 cup) and 2 ounces of the cheese. Spoon this mixture over the cornbread. Top with any extra enchilada sauce and the remaining cheddar.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and garnish with green onions, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to tag your photos with the recipe hashtag and share what you made. I appreciate you so much!
Heart just skipped a beat.