Try this Chicken Tamale Pie recipe, or contribute your own.
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1/4 cup egg substitute
- 1/3 cup fat free milk
- 11/2 tablespoon taco seasoning divided
- 1 (143/4 ounce) can cream-style corn
- 1 (8.5 ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as jiffy)
- 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles drained
- 1 (10 ounce) can red enchilada sauce - i recommend going with an au
- 3/4 cup shredded white cheese (i used raclette - random i know, but it's what i had on hand, and it ended up being delicious!)
- cilantro and crumbled cotija cheese for topping
- Carbohydrate 1.57087260416667 g
- Cholesterol 0.265104166666667 mg
- Fat 0.289380625 g
- Fiber 0.362912486672401 g
- Protein 1.26759083333333 g
- Saturated Fat 0.0650553125 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (19g)
- Sodium 165.748145833333 mg
- Sugar 1.20796011749426 g
- Trans Fat 0.01493 g
- Calories 14 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Combine the first 7 ingredients (milk through green chiles), using just ½ tablespoon of the taco seasoning, in a large bowl, stirring just until moist.
- Pour mixture into a round pie plate (mine was glass) coated with cooking spray.
- Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes.
- While corn is baking, toss the chicken in the remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning.
- When corn is done - it will be just barely set and golden brown - pierce entire surface liberally with a fork (it might stick a little bit to the fork).
- Pour enchilada sauce over top.
- Top with chicken; sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.
- Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.
- Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with cilantro and Cotija cheese.
Treating corn muffin batter like standard cake batter produces a dense, heavy crust that fails to absorb the surrounding liquids properly. Over-mixing activates the gluten in the flour blend, transforming a light crumb into something rubbery. Achieving the right balance requires careful handling of the dairy, eggs, and dry mix before it ever reaches the oven.
- Stir the milk, egg substitute, corn, and chiles into the dry muffin mix only until moistened; visible lumps are desirable and ensure a tender crumb.
- Bake the corn base at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until it is just barely set and golden brown, typically between 20 and 30 minutes, to establish a stable foundation for the liquid layers.
- Pierce the baked corn surface liberally with a fork before adding the red enchilada sauce, allowing the liquid to penetrate the interior rather than pooling solely on top.
- Rest the assembled pie for five minutes after its final 15-minute bake to let the melted cheese and internal moisture settle before slicing into eight distinct wedges.
Proper liquid absorption depends entirely on piercing the base while it is still hot from the initial bake. Allowing the crust to cool completely before adding the enchilada sauce prevents the flavors from melding correctly.
