Chicken tamale pie
60 min · 43 g protein · 453 cals / serving
A Tex-Mex casserole supper: chicken, black beans, corn, zucchini and green chiles in a chili-and-cumin tomato sauce, under the vintage golden cornmeal crust, cooked on the stove first in milk with egg, yogurt and cheddar beaten in, then baked until set. Gluten-free without trying, it cuts into neat squares for lunchboxes and freezes well.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast, boneless, skinless, in 2.5 cm (1-inch) pieces
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 can (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can, drained and rinsed black beans
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles canned green chiles
Cornmeal crust
- 1 1/2 cups 1% milk
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup quick grits, polenta or yellow cornmeal grits
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 2/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, divided
To serve
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Steps
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Heat the oil in your largest, deepest skillet over medium-high heat and cook the onion, pepper and zucchini 4 minutes. Add the chicken, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic and salt and cook 6 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beans, corn and green chiles and simmer briskly 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail, the chicken 165°F inside. Tip the filling into a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking dish, or leave it in the pan if it is a deep ovenproof one.
- Meanwhile, make the crust: bring the milk, water and salt to a simmer in a saucepan, then whisk in the cornmeal in a thin stream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, 5–6 minutes, until thick like porridge. Take it off the heat and beat in the egg, the yogurt and half the cheese.
- Spread the cornmeal over the hot filling right to the edges, then sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake 20 minutes, until set and golden at the edges.
- Let it stand 5 minutes, then scatter with green onion and cilantro. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes for 3 months in portions; reheat covered until steaming in the middle.
Good to know
Can I use a corn muffin mix instead?
Yes, it is the sweeter, cakier modern shortcut: one 8.5-ounce box made up as the box says and poured over the filling, baked 20–25 minutes. It is no longer gluten-free, since the mix contains wheat flour.
Chicken thighs, or a rotisserie chicken?
Diced boneless thighs are cheaper and juicier, at about 64 instead of 69; cook them a minute or two longer. Or stir 3 1/2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken in with the tomatoes and skip browning the chicken.
How hot is it?
Mild: chili powder and canned green chiles are warm rather than hot. Serve salsa and sliced jalapeños at the table for anyone who wants more.
Per
- Calories
- 87
- Protein
- (39%)
- 8 g
- Fat
- (20%)
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- (41%)
- 10 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 264 mg
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 2719 kcal goes into the pot and 3581 g of ingredients comes out as about 3130 g of food: 87 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.