Budín de Tamal (Tamale Casserole)

Budín de Tamal (Tamale Casserole)

Serves 8
This tamale casserole is super easy to assemble and pop in the oven for a hot, delicious meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken tamales (see cook's tips)
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 cup prepared salsa verde
  • 1/4 cup Mexican crema (see cook's tips)
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Optional Ingredients

  • Chopped cilantro

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease an 8-inch casserole dish. Cut tamales crosswise into 1-inch thick slices. Lay half of them in a single layer on bottom of baking dish.

Cook Tips

Layer ingredients, spreading evenly, as follows: 1 cup chicken, 1/2 cup salsa, 2 tablespoons crema, 1 cup cheese, remaining tamale slices, chicken, salsa, crema, and cheese.

Cover casserole with aluminum foil. Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Cheese should be golden and bubbly, and interior should be hot. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if desired.

Cook's Tips:

If you are using frozen tamales, defrost before preparing casserole.

If Mexican crema isn't available, stir 2 to 3 tablespoons water into 1/4 cup sour cream as a substitute.