Chicken Tamale Pie is an awesome family meal you can make it from scratch for dinner on a weekend like I did here, or cut some corners and save some time and use a couple convenience items to make this a quick weeknight meal. It's up to you!

Chicken Tamale Pie

This pie starts with a quick homemade tamale base that comes together with pantry staples. While that bakes, you’ll grill and simmer the chicken in a mix of stewed and spicy tomatoes, giving it a depth of flavor that’s hard to beat.

In this recipe we are featuring a seasonal blend by Spiva Cooking, the New Mexican Christmas blend. It is an incredible combo of Hatch green chile powder and New Mexican red chile powders, along with garlic, onion, cumin, and oregano. If you don't have any yet, definitely pick up a jar! It is only available for a limited time.

Is it sold out? This Spicy Chile Rub or my OWYD Spicy Pork Rub would also be a good option. Use the code “OWYD” at checkout!

Why You'll Love This Dish

Bold Mexican Flavors – Packed with spice, sauce, and cheesy goodness.
Easy Tamale Crust – No wrapping or steaming required.
Great For Leftovers – Tastes even better the next day.
Customizable Heat – Adjust the spice level with rubs and salsas.
Feeds A Crowd – Comfort food that satisfies and stretches.

Try our Carnitas Taquitos!

Recipe Shopping List

Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here's the list of items you'll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Filling & Sauce

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs – Juicy, forgiving, and perfect for simmering and shredding.
Avocado Oil – Clean flavor and high heat friendly for browning.
Mexican Rub – Brings heat and spice. Use your favorite blend.
Stewed Tomatoes With Vegetables – Adds body and depth to the sauce.
Rotel With Green Chilies – Brings heat and acidity.
El Pato Green Jalapeño Salsa – Tangy and spicy with big flavor.

Tamale Base

Jiffy Cornbread Mix – Fast, reliable, and perfect for this crust.
Egg – Helps bind the base.
Milk – Keeps the crust tender.
Diced Green Chiles – Mild heat and moisture.
Canned Corn – Adds sweetness and texture.
Mexican Rub – Extra seasoning right in the base.
Mexican-Blend Cheese – Melts well and ties everything together.

Serve with some Salsa Verde!

How To Make This Recipe

This is just the overview so you can see what you're actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you'll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

Brown The Chicken – Season the chicken thighs with Mexican rub. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on both sides.
Simmer The Sauce – Add stewed tomatoes, Rotel, and El Pato salsa to the skillet. The chicken should be mostly covered. Add a little water if needed. Simmer for about 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Make The Tamale Base – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Mix Jiffy cornbread mix with egg, milk, diced chiles, corn, and Mexican rub. Spread into a greased pie pan and bake at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes until set.
Shred And Layer – Sprinkle half the cheese over the baked base and let it cool for 10 minutes. Shred the chicken directly in the sauce using a hand mixer. Pile the chicken and sauce over the base.
Bake And Serve – Top with the remaining cheese and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Smoked Salsa is good on this, too!

Recipe FAQ

Can I Use Chicken Breast Instead?

You can, but thighs stay juicier and shred better. If using breasts, watch closely so they do not dry out.

How Spicy Is This?

It has a solid kick from the Rotel and El Pato. For milder flavor, use plain diced tomatoes and a mild salsa. The New Mexican Christmas rub also has moderate heat, so if you are particularly heat-sensitive, you might need to make some adjustments.

Can I Make This Ahead?

Yes. Assemble everything, cover, and refrigerate. Bake when ready to serve. Leftovers reheat well.

What Toppings Work Best?

Sour cream, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, or a squeeze of lime all work great.

Have some Mexican Rice with this!

Serve This With

Yield: 6 people

Chicken Tamale Pie

Chicken Tamale Pie uses an easy pre-baked tamale-style base, and then gets loaded with spicy, flavorful shredded chicken thighs. Topped with cheese and all of your favorite fixings, this is the perfect taco night change-up!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Filling & Sauce:

4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons Mexican Rub (my favorite is below)
1 - 14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes with onions, bell peppers, and celery
1 can Rotel with Green Chilies
1 small can El Pato Green Jalapeno Salsa

Tamale Base:

1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 large egg
1/3 cup milk
1 small can diced chiles, drained
1 can corn, drained
2 teaspoons Mexican rub
4 cups Mexican-blend cheese

Instructions

Season the chicken thighs with New Mexican Christmas rub. Add the oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Brown the chicken thighs on both sides.
Add the stewed tomatoes, Rotel, and the El Pato Salsa. The chicken should be mostly covered with liquid. If necessary, add about 1/2 cup of water. Simmer the chicken thighs for about 30 minutes to finish cooking and infuse with the flavor of the sauce.
While the chicken is simmering, make your tamale base.
Preheat your oven to 375. Combine the Jiffy mix with the egg, milk, chiles, and corn.
Prepare a pie pan with cooking spray, and spread the tamale base in. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes, or until set.
Remove the base from the oven, add half the cheese directly onto it, and let cool for 10 minutes.
While it's cooling, shred your chicken thighs with a hand mixer in the pot with the sauce.
Pile the chicken on top of the tamale base. Top that with the rest of the cheese, and bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes.
Serve with your favorite toppings.

Chicken Tamale Pie Recipe