These turkey tamales pair tender, cumin-seasoned turkey with soft masa and a roasted poblano and tomatillo sauce. Corn husks hold each tamal together as it steams, while the bright, savory sauce brings the filling and masa into balance.
The recipe card has the exact amounts and timing. As you cook, focus on a few useful cues: the turkey should shred easily, the masa should spread without crumbling, and a finished tamal should release cleanly from its husk.
Build flavor into the turkey and sauce
Cooking the turkey breast gently in low-sodium chicken broth with kosher salt, ground cumin, and black pepper gives the meat a savory base before it goes into the tamales. Keep the simmer gentle and check the thickest part as directed on the recipe card. Once cooked, shred the turkey with two forks so the filling is easy to distribute.
Roasting the poblano peppers with tomatillos, yellow onion, and garlic softens the vegetables and blisters the pepper skins. Blend them with cilantro, lime juice, chicken broth, and salt for a sauce that tastes both earthy and fresh. Stir some into the turkey to moisten and season the filling; keep the rest to serve alongside the tamales.
Aim for masa that spreads easily
Softened unsalted butter helps the masa harina mixture become fluffy, while baking powder and warm chicken broth help create a tender, spreadable dough. Add the broth gradually as you mix. The finished masa should be soft enough to spread over a husk without tearing it, but not so loose that it runs.
If the masa feels stiff or crumbles as you work, mix it until the broth is incorporated and the texture is even. A consistent layer helps each tamal cook evenly and keeps the filling enclosed. Leave the edges clear as directed on the recipe card so you can fold the husk around the filling.
Fold and steam without crowding
Soaking the dried corn husks makes them pliable for folding. Keep them submerged while they soak, then drain and pat them dry. If a husk is too narrow or has a tear, an extra husk can help line the steamer basket, as noted in the recipe card.
Fold the sides over the turkey filling and tuck up the narrow end. Stand the tamales upright with their open ends facing up, and keep the steamer water below the basket. Steam over a steady simmer with the lid on. If the masa clings to a husk, continue steaming in the increments specified on the card until it pulls away cleanly.
Check the texture before serving
A properly steamed tamal has masa that holds together yet feels tender, with the turkey centered inside. Let the husk-release test guide you: masa that still sticks needs more steaming. Serve the tamales with the remaining poblano sauce so you can spoon its roasted, tangy flavor over the outside.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why soak the corn husks before filling them?
Soaking softens dried corn husks so they bend around the masa and turkey without splitting as easily. Weigh them down with a plate so they stay submerged, then drain and pat them dry before filling.
How can I tell when the masa is ready to spread?
It should feel soft and spread smoothly over a husk without crumbling or running. Gradually mixing in the warm chicken broth helps you reach an even texture. Use the recipe card’s guidance for the amount to add.
What should I do if masa sticks to the husk?
Continue steaming the tamales in the recipe card’s listed increments, then check again. They are ready when the masa pulls away cleanly from the husk. Keep the steamer covered over a steady simmer as they finish.
Turkey Tamales with Roasted Poblano Sauce
Course: Main CourseCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Medium4
servings45
minutes2
hours650
kcal3
hours15
minutesTender turkey is wrapped in soft masa and steamed in corn husks, then served with a roasted poblano and tomatillo sauce. The recipe makes eight tamales for four servings.
Ingredients
- Turkey
1 lb boneless, skinless turkey breast
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
- Roasted poblano sauce
3 poblano peppers, halved and seeded
8 oz tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 medium yellow onion, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Masa and assembly
12 dried corn husks
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups masa harina
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups warm chicken broth
Directions
- Soak the corn husks in a large bowl of hot water for 30 minutes, weighing them down with a plate so they stay submerged. Drain and pat them dry.
- Put the turkey breast, 3 cups chicken broth, salt, cumin, and black pepper in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 25 minutes, until the thickest part of the turkey reaches 165°F. Transfer the turkey to a plate and shred it with two forks.
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the poblano halves skin-side up on a baking sheet with the tomatillos, onion, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and roast for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and the pepper skins are blistered.
- Blend the roasted vegetables with the cilantro, lime juice, 1/2 cup chicken broth, and salt until mostly smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir 1/2 cup of the sauce into the shredded turkey.
- Beat the softened butter until fluffy. Mix in the masa harina, baking powder, and salt, then gradually beat in the warm chicken broth until the masa is soft and spreadable.
- Lay eight corn husks flat with the wide ends toward you. Spread about 1/4 cup masa over the center of each husk, leaving a border at the sides and bottom. Add about 1/4 cup turkey filling down the center. Fold the sides over the filling, then fold up the narrow bottom. Use extra husks to line a steamer basket if needed.
- Add water to a steamer pot, keeping it below the basket. Stand the tamales upright with their open ends up, cover, and steam over a steady simmer for 70 minutes. Serve two tamales per person with the remaining poblano sauce.
Notes
- If the masa still clings to a husk after steaming, continue steaming in 5-minute increments until it pulls away cleanly.
