Chicken tamale pie is a soft, sweet cornbread base baked in a pie dish, soaked with red enchilada sauce and topped with taco-seasoned shredded chicken and melted cheddar. It has the flavors of a tamale with none of the wrapping or steaming. A box of corn muffin mix, a can of cream-style corn and a can of green chiles make the base, and cooked chicken makes it a fast dinner. It serves eight, cut in wedges like a pie.
How to make chicken tamale pie: Heat the oven to 400°F. Stir milk, an egg, a box of corn muffin mix, cream-style corn and drained green chiles together and pour into a sprayed 9-inch pie dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until almost set. Poke holes in the cornbread, pour on the enchilada sauce, add 2 cups of taco-seasoned shredded chicken and 1 cup of cheddar, and bake 15 minutes more, to 165°F. Cool 10 minutes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Tamale flavor, no fuss. Sweet corn, chiles, sauce and chicken.
- Pantry shortcuts. A box of mix and three cans.
- Good for leftover chicken. Rotisserie chicken works well.
- One dish. The base and the topping bake in the same pie plate.
- Family-friendly. Mild, cheesy and easy to serve.
Ingredient Notes
Corn muffin mix. One 8.5-ounce box.
Cream-style corn. One 14.75-ounce can. It keeps the base moist and soft.
Diced green chiles. One 4.5-ounce can, drained.
Milk and egg. A 1/3 cup of fat-free milk and 1 egg.
Red enchilada sauce. One 10-ounce can.
Chicken. Two cups, cooked and shredded.
Taco seasoning. One tablespoon, tossed with the chicken.
Cheddar cheese. One cup, shredded.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fat-free milk
- 1 egg
- 1 box (8.5 ounces) corn muffin mix
- 1 can (14.75 ounces) cream-style corn
- 1 can (4.5 ounces) diced green chiles, drained
- 1 can (10 ounces) red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
How to Make Chicken Tamale Pie
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.
2. Mix the base. Stir the milk, egg, corn muffin mix, cream-style corn and drained green chiles together until just combined. Pour into the prepared dish.
3. Bake the base. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cornbread has almost set.
4. Season the chicken. While the base bakes, toss the cooked, shredded chicken with the taco seasoning.
5. Add the sauce and toppings. Poke holes across the top of the cornbread. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over it, then add the chicken and sprinkle with cheddar.
6. Finish baking. Return to the 400°F oven for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
7. Cool and serve. Let cool for about 10 minutes, then slice.
Does the Cornbread Bake Before the Chicken Goes On?
Yes. The pie is built in two bakes, and the order matters. The cornbread goes into the oven on its own first. The sauce, chicken and cheese are added only after it has almost set.
| Stage | What goes in | How long | Look for |
|---|---|---|---|
| First bake | The cornbread batter only | 20 to 25 minutes | Almost set: firm at the edges, still a little soft in the middle |
| Poke and pour | Holes across the top, then the enchilada sauce | A minute | Sauce running into the holes |
| Second bake | Seasoned chicken and cheddar on top | 15 minutes | Melted cheese, and 165°F in the center |
| Rest | Nothing | About 10 minutes | The pie firms up enough to cut |
If everything went in at once, the raw batter would sit under wet sauce and heavy chicken and would not bake through. Baking it first gives it enough structure to hold the toppings.
The holes are how the sauce gets into the cornbread. Use the handle of a wooden spoon or a fork, and poke all over the surface, edge to edge. Then pour the sauce slowly so it sinks in.
One honest note: this is a soft, spoonable base, more like a moist corn pudding than a crisp crust. That is how it is meant to be.
Tips for Success
How much should I mix the batter?
Only until it is combined. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing makes cornbread tough.
What chicken should I use?
Any cooked chicken, shredded. A rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken or poached breasts all work.
Should I drain the green chiles?
Yes. Extra liquid makes the base too wet.
How do I know it is done?
The cheese is melted and a thermometer in the center reads 165°F.
Why let it cool before slicing?
Hot from the oven the pie is very soft. About 10 minutes on the counter lets it set, so the wedges hold together.
What can I put on top?
Sour cream, salsa and fresh cilantro are all good at the table.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow, covered containers. They keep for 3 to 4 days in the fridge or 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator, not on the counter, and reheat to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
A green salad, black beans or rice makes it a full plate. For a beefier bake with the same idea, try the tamale casserole. For more chicken dinners, there is the Ritz cracker chicken casserole, the chicken broccoli Alfredo pasta bake and the chicken pot pie noodle skillet. And if you like chicken under a bready top, make the slow cooker 5-ingredient chicken pot pie or the chicken and dumplings with biscuits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should the cornbread base bake before the sauce and chicken are added?
Yes. Bake it for 20 to 25 minutes, until almost set, before adding anything.
When do I poke holes in the base and add the enchilada sauce?
Right after the first bake, while the cornbread is hot. Poke holes all over, then pour on the sauce.
How do I check that the finished casserole is safely cooked?
Use a food thermometer in the center. It should read 165°F.
Is the crust crispy?
No. The base is soft and moist, like a spoonbread.
Final Notes
I shred and season the chicken while the cornbread is in the oven, so the topping is ready the moment the base comes out. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Chicken Tamale Pie
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Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fat-free milk
- 1 egg
- 1 box corn muffin mix 8.5 ounces
- 1 can cream-style corn 14.75 ounces
- 1 can diced green chiles 4.5 ounces, drained
- 1 can red enchilada sauce 10 ounces
- 2 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray.
- Stir the milk, egg, corn muffin mix, cream-style corn and drained green chiles together until just combined. Pour into the prepared dish.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cornbread has almost set.
- While the base bakes, toss the cooked, shredded chicken with the taco seasoning.
- Poke holes across the top of the cornbread. Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over it, then add the chicken and sprinkle with cheddar.
- Return to the 400°F oven for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese melts and the center of the casserole reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Let cool for about 10 minutes, then slice.
Notes
Nutrition
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