Food and Recipes Dinner Chicken Tamale Pie 4.9 (12) 11 Reviews We pay homage to the tamale's corn husk by using a corn muffin base for this innovative chicken tamale pie recipe. By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on December 13, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 This surprisingly simple chicken tamale pie is a great weeknight dinner solution. Ditch the tired taco night for this new take on tamales, served as a spoonable one-skillet pie. With a corn muffin base, a layer of slightly-spicy chicken tamale mixture, and cilantro, sour cream, and bubbling, golden cheese to top it all off, this pie is a stunning main dish fit for any occasion. It's kid-friendly and incorporates easy packet mixes (such as cornbread muffin mix and taco seasoning that you can buy at any grocery store) to make this an easy, hearty dinner fix. Chicken tamale pie takes classic tamales and adds a Southern twist. We're all about savory pies like this one. From the whimsical Cheeseburger Pie to the classic Southern Tomato Pie with a Buttermilk-Parmesan Crust, these savory dishes are a perfect way to pack a whole meal into one pie tin. They pay homage to the long-standing Southern strategy of baking anything and everything into a casserole, and we couldn't be more thrilled about this new take on the tradition. Antonis Achilleos Ingredients Cooking spray 1 (8 1/2-oz.) pkg. corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy) 1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup chopped yellow onion (from 1 medium onion) 1 medium-size yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups) 3 cups packed shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1 whole chicken) 1 (15 1/4-oz.) can sweet whole kernel corn, drained (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce 1 (4-oz.) can chopped green chiles, undrained 1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix 1 tsp. dark chili powder (such as McCormick) 6 oz. extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 1/2 cups) 2 scallions, sliced (1/2 cup) Cilantro leaves with tender stems Lime wedges, for serving Directions Prepare oven and skillet: Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in top third position. Lightly coat a 10-inch high-sided skillet with cooking spray. Bake corn muffins: Prepare corn muffin mix batter according to package directions; stir sour cream into batter. Pour batter into prepared skillet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cook onions: While corn muffins bake, heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Cook chicken and seasonings: Stir in chicken, corn, tomato sauce, chiles, taco seasoning, and chili powder. Remove from heat. Add chicken mixture to skillet, and bake: Spoon chicken mixture evenly over cornbread in skillet; sprinkle with cheese and scallions. Bake at 425°F until mixture is hot and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes. Broil cheese: Increase oven temperature to high broil (do not remove skillet); broil until cheese is bubbly and golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Garnish pie with cilantro; serve with lime wedges and additional sour cream. Rate It Print