This easy Chicken Tamale Pie Recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights and combines the comforting flavors of traditional tamales with the ease of a casserole. A crispy cornbread crust, layered with shredded chicken and veggies, and a delicious enchilada sauce, all topped with melty cheese, make this a delicious Mexican dish your whole family will love.
Want to make a dinner that makes everyone drool? This is it, friends. This is comfort food at its finest, and I dare you not to eat the whole pan in one sitting. It's all the flavors of a classic tamale without the fuss!
(Want more comfort food ideas? Try my easy Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole or this One-Pot Marry Me Chicken Pasta!
In This Post
Why This Recipe Works
This Chicken Tamale Casserole is an excellent choice for a weeknight dinner for several reasons:
- Easy ingredients. This recipe uses pantry staples like boxed corn muffin mix, canned beans, and green chilies. And, pre-cooked chicken breasts cut down on preparation time.
- It's a casserole! I love this classic Mexican food, but making actual tamales takes some serious work. This recipe is a riff on the traditional tamale, but still serves up the delicious flavor and texture for a satisfying meal.
- That cornbread crust! The delicious cornbread layer provides such a great texture and complements the flavorful chicken mixture
- Versatile. This is an easy recipe to change up based on your personal preferences - want more veggies or beans? Go for it! Want to sub the chicken for ground beef? No problem. Add more or less spice? You got it. This recipe is incredibly easy to make your own.
Key Ingredients
You can easily find all of these simple ingredients in your local grocery store. Here's what you'll need.
- Cornbread mix. Forms the base of the pie, providing a sweet and soft contrast to the savory filling.
- Shredded chicken. I used chicken breasts here, but you can make it easy on yourself and pick up a Rotisserie chicken for this dish if you prefer. Or just use any leftover chicken you have.
- Enchilada sauce. The sauce gives the entire dish a wonderful flavor. There are plenty of canned options, or you can make your own Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce.
- Veggies and beans. I used the standard red pepper and onions here for veggies, and pinto beans for a classic tamale taste. But you can use whatever veggies or type of bean you like.
- Green chiles and jalapeño: These add a mild heat and tons of flavor that help to mimic those tamale vibes.
- Mexican cheese blend. Adds a gooey, melty texture and rich flavor that makes this tamale pie irresistible.
How To Make Chicken Tamale Pie
Making this chicken dish is as easy as....pie! Here's how you do it:
- Prepare the cornbread base. Mix your cornbread ingredients - the boxed cornbread mix, an egg, and milk - with a touch of ground cayenne for a spicy kick and green chiles for that authentic Mexican flavor profile. Bake this in a greased pie dish, casserole dish, or cast iron skillet until the delicious cornbread crust is a nice, golden brown.
- Sauté the vegetables. While the cornbread bakes, heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook your onions, red pepper, and jalapeño until they're soft. Add garlic and cook for one minute more, then remove the veggies from the heat.
- Combine the veggie and chicken filling. Add the chicken, veggies, and beans to a large bowl and toss with the chicken taco seasoning.
- Assemble the Pie. Once the cornbread has finished cooking, remove it from the oven and poke holes in the top of it with a fork. (This helps the cornbread absorb the delicious enchilad sauce). Pour enchilada sauce over the cornbread.
- Add the toppings. Layer the veggie, bean, and chicken filling over the cornbread base. Top with generous amounts of cheese.
- Bake: Return the pie to the oven until the cheese is bubbly. Let it sit for a few minutes after baking to set, making it easier to slice.
- Serve: Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, and green onions to add extra flavor, creaminess, and a pop of color.
Variations And Substitutions
As I mentioned above, there are lots of ways you can customize this easy chicken recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Sub out the chicken. Substitute ground beef or even a meat-free alternative for the chicken.
- Use different beans. A can of black beans can work in place of pinto beans for a different texture and taste.
- Adjust the spice level: Reduce or omit the jalapeño and cayenne pepper according to your spice preference. Or, if you're feeling crazy, add hot sauce or chili powder for extra heat.
- Swap out the cheese. Try different types of Mexican cheese blends or even a dollop of sour cream mixed into the layers for extra richness.
- Green enchilada sauce. I love this chicken tamale pie with red enchilada sauce, but you could absolutely use green sauce instead to change up the flavor.
- Add some olives. Black olives would be a nice addition to this great recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enchilada sauce is easy to find in cans at the grocery store. But if you find yourself without some, you can try your hand at making your own using this red enchilada sauce recipe! Or, a quick blend of tomato sauce with some Mexican spices like cumin and chili powder can be substituted in a pinch.
Yes, you can prepare the components ahead of time and assemble them before baking. It's a great way to split the prep for an even faster dinner.
If you try this easy weeknight Chicken Tamale Pie for dinner tonight, let me know what you think in the comments below! And don't forget to tag me with a pic @frontrangefed on Instagram so I can see your masterpiece!
More Easy Casseroles
- Lazy Baked Lasagna With Frozen Cheese Ravioli
- Easy Conrbread Cowboy Casserole With Beef and Beans
- Quick And Easy Dump And Bake Meatball Casserole
- Crockpot Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli And Rice Casserole
- Easy Chicken Cobbler Casserole
- Healthy Burger Bowl With Burger Bowl Sauce
- Creamy Seafood Tetrazzini With Shrimp (Baked Seafood Pasta)
- Easy 5-Ingredient Cheesy Chicken Hashbrown Casserole
- Healthy Spinach, Feta And Rice Casserole
Recipe
Weeknight Chicken Tamale Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 8.5 oz box cornbread mix (like Jiffy)
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 4 oz hatch green chiles (small can)
- 10 oz can red enchilada sauce (or make your own enchilada sauce)
- ½ large onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded
- 15.5 oz canned pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning (try this homemade chicken taco seasoning!0
- 2 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
Optional toppings
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- sour cream
- green onions diced
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cornbread mix, egg, milk, cayenne pepper, and hatch chiles and stir well. Pour the cornbread mixture into the pie plate and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- While the cornbread crust is baking, saute the veggies. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a medium skillet and add the onions, red pepper, and jalapeno pepper to the pan. Sautee on medium heat for about five minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for one minute more, then remove the veggies from heat.
- Combine the shredded chicken, sauteed veggies, pinto beans, and taco seasoning in a large bowl and toss well to combine.
- Once the cornbread has finished baking, remove it from the oven and pierce all over with a fork. Pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the cornbread, then top with the chicken and veggie mixture.
- Sprinkle the entire dish with cheese and bake for 15 minutes more.
- Remove the chicken tamale pie from the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
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Farrah says
Absolutely loved this recipe! The chicken was very tender, and the melty cheese on top was the best part. So delicious! My kids even asked for seconds, which rarely happens with new dishes. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sarah Jenkins says
Thank you Farrah!
Jere Cassidy says
Great casserole. I always have the Jiffy cornbread mix so I was glad this is what you use for the recipe. Loved that it didn't take long to make and bake.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Jere! So glad you loved it!
Giangi Townsend says
I love trying quick and easy recipes and tamale is one of my favorite Mexican dishes so I tried it immediately, grabbed ingredients from the market and yes it tasted like a traditional tamale dish. My family loves it. Thank you.
Sarah Jenkins says
Thanks Giangi! Glad you loved it!