Bean
Chicken Tamale Pie
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52 Reviews
KarenSiena
December 27, 2020
Needs a lot more spice. Needs salt. Served with fresh chopped cilantro (addicted), I didn’t like corn in it (omit next time) and will use pintos next time. A delicious update on a basic chili.
KarenCatherine
December 27, 2020
Made as directed. Upped the spices a lot due to bland taste. Needs added salt. Used black beans bc that’s what I had. I’ll omit corn next time (texture issues). Grated cheese on top of polenta. A good, hearty recipe. I’ll use BS thighs next time too. Thanks Food52 for an easy nourishing spin on a basic chili!!,
KarenCatherine
December 27, 2020
Made as directed. Upped the spices a lot due to bland taste. Needs added salt. Used black beans bc that’s what I had. I’ll omit corn next time (texture issues). Grated cheese on top of polenta. A good, hearty recipe. I’ll use BS thighs next time too. Thanks Food52 for an easy nourishing spin on a basic chili!
Ronnieroo777
November 13, 2020
So my daughter is a vegetarian and I am not. I cooked without the chicken(with chickpeas in lieu of chicken)in my INSTAPOT/AIR FRYER COMBO. I cooked chicken separately in pan with seasoning. So i used the bake setting at 375 for 30 minutes and it was amazing. I put chicken in the bottom of my bowl and the beans and polenta on top, with a little cheese. Most excellent.
Sharon
October 29, 2020
I made this using three fat boneless, skinless chicken thighs. It's basically a stew, so thighs make more sense to me here. I spread it in an antique enameled cast iron gratin, so I increased the polenta to 1 cup cornmeal:2 2/3 cups water to cover the greater surface area. It was a really lovely, cozy fall dish. Big return on small investment.
ps. throw a handful of grated cheese over the top of the polenta, gilding the lily.
ps. throw a handful of grated cheese over the top of the polenta, gilding the lily.
Greg C.
March 2, 2020
Made this dish last night to rave reviews. Mixed up the cooking a bit - browned the chicken first, then did the onions and garlic. I felt the garlic could get burned doing it earlier. Considering some of the other comments, I was generous with the spices and added some pickled jalapenos, which definitely kicked it up a notch. I also dumped in some queso fresco into the polenta, which added a nice piquant creaminess. The recipe just says to put it together in "deep round glass dish" and I think a little more guidance could be helpful. I used a 3-quart casserole and the chili alone filled it to the brim. That was OK but I didn't put the dish on a baking sheet so as it cooked, it spilled over onto the bottom of my oven. Well it needed a cleaning anyway. Minor issues since the dish was flavorful and savory. Other than the added cheese, I don't think it was terribly unhealthy either!
The I.
December 19, 2017
I found the recipe to be on the bland side, and knowing I and my family prefer a good measure of flavor, I added extra of all the seasonings plus added in some Cholula hot sauce and other salsa to the base mixture. I also added 3 oz of white goat cheddar to the polenta. Delicious with the adjustments!
hillbillyGirl
June 15, 2017
Call me crazy! I started with a corn and black bean salad- added the chicky, doubled the spices and added chipotle cheddar cheese on top of the polenta. All in my lodge black iron skillet. Awesomeness for a weeknight meal!
JanieMac
January 27, 2017
btglenn I can imagine that thigh meat would be better, the flavour is always more 'chickeny' anyway. Pinto beans sound good too.
btglenn
January 27, 2017
I use chicken thighs which take longer cooking without toughening up the way breasts do when cooked to long. Also,use frozen corn preferably not sweet, and pinto beans. I sauté the onion first along with a chopped pasilla chile, then add the chicken and the spices for browning. It is not necessary to remove the chicken at this time. I drain the tomatoes before adding it along with the other ingredients to the pot and let it cook for a few minutes -- then add the tomato juice and broth as needed for a good consistency. I make more polenta than the recipe calls for because my preference is for a bottom polenta layer along with the topping. I sometimes add thawed frozen corn to the hot polenta for additional texture , mixing it in along with salt and pepper to taste.
JanePrez
January 24, 2017
I've made this and love it. Cheese instead of polenta sounds like a great idea. I've subbed mash potatoes for the polenta.
Arika H.
October 10, 2016
Love this idea and after some tweaks, loved the finished recipe. I made A LOT of adjustments, based on previous comments and a chicken chili recipe I already like. Cooked chicken first - cubed it and set it aside. Cooked onions in butter until soft. Upped the spices and salt, added to onions and let cook for 5 minutes or so. Added a little flour, like a roux to help thicken. Then added chicken and everything else (including cannellini beans, cuban-style black beans, salsa-style tomatoes and fire-roasted corn). Added 1/2 4-ounce of diced jalapenos, too. Other half went into the grits. Cooked grits as package directed (Trader Joe's white grits FTW) and then a little longer uncovered, to help thicken. Topped as directed and baked 30 minutes. SO GOOD. A bit of work, but worth it. Will definitely be making again!
Lee L.
April 16, 2016
I hate to break it to pjcamps, but contrary to what Bob's Red Mill claims polenta is not grits.
Take it from an expert. South Carolina born and bred.
Take it from an expert. South Carolina born and bred.
pjcamp
April 16, 2016
I take it from me, an expert Georgia born and bred, as well as Alton Brown. The only difference is in how they are prepared. The actual item is coarse ground corn meal for both. You use fine ground corn meal and what you have is mush. I hate mush. If you want to get picky, polenta is a dish, not a food, and has historically been prepared with things like ground chickpeas, buckwheat and farro. These days polenta pretty much always means corn polenta, and should not be prepared with fine ground cornmeal since what you get is library paste. So you use coarse ground and it is indistinguishable from grits.
Mark
April 11, 2016
Pretty good recipe. I opted to not add the cornmeal mixture since beach season is coming up. The chicken chili is delicious, though. I went with a bit more spice, as well.
Ruth I.
January 12, 2016
I loved this recipe...with a few additions! I ended up having to triple the amount of coriander, chili powder, cumin and added in some salt as I used 'no salt added' beans and tomatoes. I also used Bob's Red Mill Masa Harina since I already had that in my pantry. I think next time I'll double the amount of the 'polenta' mixture as I was left wanting so much more! I'm also vegetarian and instead of chicken, I cooked 1 cup dried green lentils and then proceeded with the rest of the recipe.
Mark O.
January 12, 2016
Made this last night and will make again. Add salt and pepper before you put a topping on. Used Rotel instead of straight tomato. Also added a heaping teaspoon of Ancho chile powder. Also used chicken thighs instead of breasts. Good basic recipe that you can play with.
Constant S.
January 11, 2016
Get rid of that awful maizena 'topping'! Grate GENEROUSLY cheese [any!] over it as a topping; and YES Janie, out the chilli powder and IN the chipotle!
JanieMac
January 10, 2016
Never mind the 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder, double it and add some smoke chipotle. It is a great basic recipe for a retro dish, love it, but snazz it up to make it worth the work.
ward D.
November 4, 2015
Didn't make the dish per say. Went with the concept and made my own chicken chilli (everyone has their own recipe) and topped it with roasted jalapeño slices and cheddar cheese. Then poured corn muffin batter over the dish with a sprinkle of cheddar and one more jalapeño.
M
November 2, 2015
This recipe was too much for too little - too much work and time expended for the end product. The concept is excellent, but I found the actual recipe lackluster. I'll definitely be trying it again with my own chili and polenta recipes.
JanieMac
October 7, 2015
Made this recipe as given and enjoyed it - a blast from my childhood of school cafeteria food in Southern California. Next time I will use more spice and some Jalapenos to make it a bit more grown-up. Really like the polenta thing, so much easier than making a cornbread topping and grappling with soggy bits in the middle and it tasted more of corn.
Carl
June 1, 2015
This is not a good recipe. No salt? Bland beyond belief. One can of beans would be plenty. Needs 4X the spice to even become tasty. Add salsa and more taco or chili seasoning. Use polenta, not cornmeal.
pjcamp
January 11, 2016
Polenta is grits. Cornmeal is much finer ground, and masa is finer than that.
Rhonda23
March 11, 2015
So I made this a few weeks back. It was good, not great, as so many people had mentioned after sitting at the table with it, we added lots more spice, then it was great.. Going to try it again tonight...thinking salsa instead of tomatoes, definetly double the spice...maybe triple... And it's impossible to find hot chilis so as someone else said I am going to chop up jalapeños and im going to let it sit together for a few hours before I add polenta on top..I'll let you know
lilroseglow
February 9, 2015
So so good. We do like things spicy so I basically doubled the spices, and added a finely diced large jalapeno. Also cheddar cheese on top of the polenta. My kids loved this and ate insane portions. Thank you for the post!
Patrick
January 21, 2015
I just made this but left too much juice in it. I should have drained the beans but it did have a nice mild flavor. Next time I will spice it up a bit and drain the juices.
LSM
January 16, 2015
I made this last night for my family and it was a big hit. I had left over roast chicken thighs and sauteed onions and bell peppers from meals earlier in the week that I re-purposed for this meal. It worked out perfectly.
MBE
January 15, 2015
A good inspiration recipe. As with most of you I added my own spin. For starters, the first steps need some adjustment-let the chicken brown alone, then add onion (not garlic) and then the spices. No need to remove from the pan and create more dishes, just add the garlic and follow with the remaining ingredients. I also used frozen corn and half of a 7 oz can of chilies in the chili and the remainder in the polenta. I like things pretty saucy so increased the tomatoes to a whole 28 oz can of whole peeled-but this was too soupy to hold up the polenta!! I cooked the polenta in chicken broth, omitted the butter and stirred in about a cup of shredded manchego cheese along the with extra green chilies. I built the chili in a enameled dutch oven and then topped with the polenta (again saving a bit of dishwashing). The polenta sunk a bit as my chili was too soupy, but the flavors after baking were still great and I'll be making this one again on another cold winters night!
cutthecarrot
January 10, 2015
This recipe is a great foundational, flexible one. My ingredient changes were using 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs and sauteeing them until almost done before cutting them up; using only one can of beans (black beans); using frozen corn instead of canned; using a whole can of tomatoes the same size as the beans; and doubling the spices and garlic. I sprinkled a little cheddar on the top 5 min before it was done. This is going into our rotation and I'll probably keep changing things up (squash instead of meat, tomatillos instead of tomatoes, or a little cocoa for a mole vibe, etc). The possibilities seem endless as long as that good corn crust is on top and the chili is well spiced.
gustus
January 7, 2015
We loved this! I, too, had some problems with the polenta steps as written...it thickened up much faster than 5 minutes, was difficult to spread over the chili, and the oven step only took 20 minutes. It wasn't pretty, but the flavor was wonderful. I appreciate the advice below about using a different cornmeal or grits instead; also interested in the tips about hominy and like the idea of adding cheese. I avoided dirtying an extra pan by using my oven-safe Calphalon 10" sauté pan for cooking the chicken and vegetables, then putting on the polenta topping and finishing in the oven; it fit perfectly. This is perfect winter comfort food!
FavourFlavour
January 5, 2015
This was really good! I was a bit underwhelmed reading the ingredient list, but I had some chicken thighs in the fridge. I put in about a teaspoon of salt with the spices, and added a small can of sliced olives, drained. Then, after the baking was done, I sprinkled shredded cheddar on top and broiled for a few moments to finish it. The polenta topping thickened in about 1 minute for me, and poured nicely onto the chili. This fit in a 3-inch deep 9-inch square baker. Silence descended on the dinner table as my family tucked in - a sign that I'll have to make this again!
Mary L.
January 1, 2015
Sooo good! I agree with saramarsh that it could stand more salt and an increase in the spices, but this recipe is a keeper for my family! I served it with cubed avocado which made a nice addition.
saramarsh
January 1, 2015
I found that salt and nearly double the seasonings were needed in the veggie mix, before putting the chicken back in to finish up. I also chopped up some canned jalapeños, because there were only mild canned green chilis.
I used polenta (coarse ground) and followed the above recipe, but if using polenta and not cornmeal, follow the instructions on the box. It was too thick to spread if you use the recipe above.
That said, it's in the oven now and I can't wait to try it!
I used polenta (coarse ground) and followed the above recipe, but if using polenta and not cornmeal, follow the instructions on the box. It was too thick to spread if you use the recipe above.
That said, it's in the oven now and I can't wait to try it!
saramarsh
January 22, 2015
Update:
In the end the flavor was good, but the too thick polenta sunk in a few spots because it couldn't be spread out (too thick...), but after the additions I made, it was really good! I'll make it again with everyone's ideas in mind :)
I did use a mix of parmesan and sharp grated cheddar on top and that was a solid addition.
In the end the flavor was good, but the too thick polenta sunk in a few spots because it couldn't be spread out (too thick...), but after the additions I made, it was really good! I'll make it again with everyone's ideas in mind :)
I did use a mix of parmesan and sharp grated cheddar on top and that was a solid addition.
Anita W.
December 29, 2014
Man oh man was this dish the bees knees or what?!? Only I guilded the lily a bit and added cheese to the top of the cornmeal mix on top. Perfection!
pjcamp
December 28, 2014
How to fix:
Water? Make the polenta with chicken broth, please.
Hominy, not sweet corn.
You really need some coarse grated cheddar on the top.
If, like me, your round glass dish is not big enough, you can put this in a 9x13 baking dish but you'll need twice as much of the polenta.
Water? Make the polenta with chicken broth, please.
Hominy, not sweet corn.
You really need some coarse grated cheddar on the top.
If, like me, your round glass dish is not big enough, you can put this in a 9x13 baking dish but you'll need twice as much of the polenta.
Julieek
December 30, 2014
I'm interested in making this dish and haven't cooked with hominy before. Can you just buy it in a can? I might follow your suggestion. Thanks!
pjcamp
December 31, 2014
That is in fact the only way to buy hominy. You don't want to make it yourself. Hominy is corn that has been treated with a dilute lye solution which opens the cell walls and loosens the hull from the kernel, and softens the corn. You get something not exactly soft, but chewy, and with a vaguely salty taste. If you dry it and grind it you get masa and can make tortillas. This process is called nixtamalization and, among other things, it adds dietary calcium to the corn and transforms the niacin into a form that can be digested (relying on corn for niacin is a good way to get pellagra). It has to be washed pretty thoroughly to get rid of all the lye. Obviously this is a process you would like for someone else to do for you, someone who would be sued if they weren't good at washing out all the lye. I like yellow hominy better than white. Seems to have more corn flavor.
I should also have said, everyone seems to think polenta should be made with regular corn meal like that godawful stuff you get in plastic at the megamart. No. Polenta is coarse ground corn meal. In fact, it is the same thing as grits. So get a bag of yellow grits and follow the recipe above. You'll be glad you did. I like Bob's Red Mill.
I should also have said, everyone seems to think polenta should be made with regular corn meal like that godawful stuff you get in plastic at the megamart. No. Polenta is coarse ground corn meal. In fact, it is the same thing as grits. So get a bag of yellow grits and follow the recipe above. You'll be glad you did. I like Bob's Red Mill.
Julieek
January 1, 2015
Thank you so much for this! It really helps! I will follow your suggestions and give this recipe a try. I have always wanted to cook with hominy. I will be sure to pick up a bag of Bob's Red Mill grits as well.
Julieek
January 6, 2015
I followed all of pjcamps suggestions and made this tonight. It was very good, although my five-year-old (who is very picky) didn't like it. I can't imagine making this dish without the grated cheddar on top. Although the five-year-old didn't like the finished product, he loved the (Bob's Red Mill) grits! I will be making them again for him in the morning. I especially loved the hominy. I will make this again soon - probably in individual ramekins so that the presentation is less sloppy.
Thanks for all of your help, pjcamp!
Thanks for all of your help, pjcamp!
pjcamp
January 6, 2015
No problem! Hominy is awesome. It's pretty good on its own as a side, and I often use it in place of corn in other things. It's great in chili, chicken soup (especially chicken tortilla soup), and so on.
Rosa L.
January 25, 2015
Hominy is a favorite of mine, too. We love it undrained with a little diced green peppers or chiles, a little diced onion, salt and pepper to taste and tomato juice to amply cover the hominy. Bring to a boil, simmer slowly until most of the liquid is gone and thickened. Pretty basic and you can play with spices.
Refrigerator M.
December 22, 2014
I have a CSA from a wonderful farmer/butcher and one of the items in my basket is ground chicken. This looks like a really great idea for an ingredient I might otherwise leave to languish in the freezer.
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