Colombian Chicken Tamales have a filling with three types of chicken meat, tamale red sauce and chickpeas. This variation is popular in Bogota, Colombia. Celebrate the holidays with this delicacy, wrapped in banana leaves and served traditionally for Christmas Eve or New Year’s Day, or freeze and eat any day of the week for a special take on a Colombian tamales recipe!
What are Tamales Colombiano?
Tamales Colombianos are Colombian chicken tamales.
Variations of tamales can be found throughout Latin America, each more uniquely delicious than the last.
Mexican tamales are perhaps the most recognized variation, with a ground cornmeal dough, meat filling, and a corn husk wrapper.
However, Colombian tamales have a special place in my heart. I may be slightly biased by my Colombian husband, but it’s really the deep, rich flavor of these tamales that won me over.
Unlike their Mexican counterparts, Tamales Colombians are wrapped in banana leaves. The filling inside is made out of pre-cooked corn flour called arepa flour, or masarepa (unlike the Mexican use of masa harina). Both are variations of corn meal - but while masarepa is cooked, masa harina is used raw.
They are also packed with a delectable meat filling that adds so much flavor, but also makes the tamales incredibly filling. In Bogota, chickpeas are added for additional protein.
The filling is wrapped in banana leaves, steamed, and then served with a Colombian red sauce. One bite of these tamales and you’ll understand why they’re reserved for big celebrations and holidays.
Colombian chicken tamales require some work, but the resulting richness of flavor and texture makes them the perfect treat for an international feast on Christmas day!
What makes these into Colombian Tamales Bogotano style?
Bogotano style tamales have a bunch of unique ingredients, like Colombian longaniza (pork sausage) and chick peas. Because my husband is from Bogota, we wanted to make a filling that will remind him of home and mom's Colombian tamales. However, because I wanted to make chicken tamales, I had to omit the pork sausage - but I definitely kept the chickpeas!
I think chickpeas add a unique touch to these Colombian tamales.
When to serve Colombian tamales
In Colombia, tamales are traditionally served for Christmas Day breakfast or lunch. They are also incredibly popular at New Year’s parties.
Because this recipe is quite involved, and requires many stages, I recommend to make these tamales colombiano in advance, and then freezing them until you are ready to eat.
Thus, you can serve Colombian tamales for Christmas, New Year’s, or for a luxurious and special Sunday meal.
Are these traditional Bogota style tamales?
Yes and no. This tamales recipe is traditional in flavor, with a unique twist on the filling.
Traditionally, Bogota style tamales include pork, beef and chicken - three meat variations in the filling. However, as someone who doesn’t eat pork meat or beef, I opted for a mouthwatering chicken filling instead.
The Colombian red sauce for tamales is also a traditional component to the dish that normally relies on artificial flavoring called "sazon". In this recipe, the artificial ingredients have been omitted for a whole foods approach.
Even with these variations, this chicken tamales recipe still captures the authentic flavors and feelings of Bogota style tamales.
Why I love this Colombian chicken tamales recipe
This recipe is easier than it looks, but tamales are one of the most special treats for the holidays. Here's why I love this all-chicken adaptation:
- Freezer-friendly: I love eating these chicken tamales fresh, but they also work so well in the freezer. This recipe makes a lot of tamales, and it’s customary to freeze at least half of the batch to use later.
- Gluten-free: This dish is naturally gluten-free thanks to the banana leaves and the arepa flour.
- Easily meal-prepped: These tamales don’t have to be reserved for special occasions. Make a batch of the tamales and then store them in the freezer for easy weekday meals - a tamal or two makes for a filling meal!
- Delicious: The marinade for the chicken does wonders for the flavor and texture, especially alongside the Colombian red sauce. This dish is bursting with flavor, but still remains warm and comforting.
- Kosher tamales:
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED to make this chicken tamales recipe
Sazon seasoning replacement
- 1 tablespoon ground annatto (achiote), paprika or turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon black ground pepper
Chicken marinade
- 1 onion
- 4 green onions, chopped roughly
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning
- 3 cups water
Filling:
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs, diced
- 1 ½ pound chicken breasts, diced
- 1 can chickpeas, drained of liquid
- 4 large potatoes, peeled and sliced into rings
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced into rings
Guiso (red Tamales sauce)
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
Masa
- 5 cups boiling water
- 1 pound yellow precooked cornmeal (masarepa)
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cooked guiso
- 2 tablespoons homemade Sazon seasoning
To assemble tamales
- 2 pounds banana leaves, cut into 15-inch-long pieces (this is about 2-3 bags of frozen banana leaves), defrosted, washed clean both sides and dried
- Cooking twine
- Large pot of water
- Salt
See recipe cards for exact quantities.
Equipment
- Induction stovetop
- Mixing bowls
- Butcher’s string
- blender
- Large pot
- Steaming basket or steaming insert
How To Make Colombian Chicken Tamales
To make Homemade Sazon seasoning
Mix all the seasonings together in a bowl and set aside.
To make Chicken marinade
Transfer all the marinade ingredients, along with 4 tablespoons of the spice mix, to a blender and process until smooth. Transfer into a large bowl or ziplock bag, add all the chicken meat and chickpeas (reserve potatoes and carrots). Transfer to fridge overnight to marinade.
To make Guiso
Set a large pan to medium heat. Add oil and diced onion, and cook for 5 minutes until it changes color. Add green onions and garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and diced peppers, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until everything is soft and a slightly cohesive sauce is formed. Add 1 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning, salt and pepper and water. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until thickened.
Reserve ½ cup of the guiso for the tamales masa.
To make Masa:
In a large bowl, combined boiling water with masarepa, salt, reserved guiso, and homemade Sazon seasoning. Mix well with a wooden spoon until well combined.
To make Colombian tamales:
Place 1 piece of banana leaf on a counter. Cover perpendicularly with another piece, forming the shape a cross.
Top with ½ cup of masa in the center of the banana leaves.
Place two thick slices of potatoes on top, and 2 slices of carrot.
Top with piece of chicken, trying to get a bit of each type of chicken meat piece and place about 1 tablespoon of chickpeas on top of the meat.
Seal Tamal Colombiano:
To close each tamal colombiano, fold each side of the the banana leaves up, one at a time, so the leaves overlap each other and enclose the filling. Tie the package with butcher's twine.
Continue the process, repeating until you are all out of filling.
To cook tamales colombiano
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and place a steaming insert in the bottom. When water is boiling, add the tamales to the steaming insert, standing them upright next to each other like little orderly packages. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for nearly 2 hours (tamales need to cook for a long time because we're working with raw meat). Check the water level periodically, adding more as needed.
Remove the tamales from the water, and serve each Chicken Colombian tamal on a plate with empanada sauce or aji colombiano.
Storage
Colombian chicken tamales can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Frozen tamales will keep for up to 3 months.
Top Tips
- Let the chicken marinade. The marinade is the secret to the deep flavor of this dish and the chicken’s soft texture. In fact, I’d even recommend preparing the marinade the day before so the chicken can marinate overnight.
- Don’t overfill the banana leaves. It’ll be tempting to pile as much of this incredible filling onto a leaf as possible. However, an overfilled banana leaf will make it impossible to fold and seal.
- If you don't have a steaming rack or insert, you can place rocks or even extra banana leaves at the bottom of the pot. You need to prevent the tamales from scorching directly from the heat.
Variations on this Colombian chicken tamales recipe
- Colombian tamales are usually prepared using pork, including pork belly and pork ribs, rather than solely chicken. The pork would be marinated in the same sauce as the chicken in this recipe. In Bogota, pork sausages are also used.
- If you would like a vegetarian variation, then swap the chicken for tofu. You can even create a shredded meat texture by grating the pressed tofu with a large box grater.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, of course. Traditional tamales from Colombian are made with pork and beef, if you’re looking for a more conventional substitution.
Banana leaves are easy enough to find in the right store. I recommend stopping by your local Latin grocery store for the best results. However, you can also order banana leaves from online marketplaces.
You can easily freeze these chicken tamales for up to 3 months. In fact, most Colombian families freeze at least half the batch that they make!
It’ll only take about 10 minutes to serve these chicken tamales from the freezer. Simply place your tamales on a microwave-safe plate, cover with a wet paper towel, and then microwave for 10 minutes.
Recommended Dishes
Explore more of Colombian food with these dishes:
- Colombian fruit salad - Ensalada de frutas Colombiana
- Colombian ceviche with pear, fennel and mango
- Colombian Ajiaco recipe that will transport you to Bogota
Pin for Later!
Chicken Colombian tamales recipe {gluten-free, kosher)
Equipment
Ingredients
Sazon seasoning replacement
- 1 tablespoon ground annatto achiote, paprika or turmeric
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ½ tablespoon black ground pepper
Chicken marinade
- 1 onion
- 4 green onions chopped roughly
- 4 garlic cloves
- 4 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning
- 3 cups water
Filling:
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 ½ pounds boneless chicken thighs diced
- 1 ½ pound chicken breasts diced
- 1 can chickpeas drained of liquid
- 4 large potatoes peeled and sliced into rings
- 4 carrots peeled and sliced into rings
Guiso (red Tamales sauce)
- 1 onion diced
- 4 scallions chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 4 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups water
Masa
- 5 cups boiling water
- 1 pound yellow precooked cornmeal masarepa
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cooked guiso
- 2 tablespoons homemade Sazon seasoning
To assemble tamales
- 2 pounds banana leaves cut into 15-inch-long pieces (this is about 2-3 bags of frozen banana leaves), defrosted, washed and dried
- Cooking twine
- Large pot of water
- Salt
Instructions
- Directions
Homemade Sazon seasoning
- Mix all the seasonings together in a bowl and set aside.
Chicken marinade
- Transfer all the marinade ingredients, along with 4 tablespoons of the spice mix, to a blender and process until smooth. Transfer into a large bowl or ziplock bag, add all the chicken meat and chickpeas (reserve potatoes and carrots). Refrigerate overnight to marinade.
Guiso
- Set a large pan to medium heat. Add oil and diced onion, and cook for 5 minutes until it changes color. Add green onions and garlic and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and diced peppers, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until everything is soft and a slightly cohesive sauce is formed. Add 1 tablespoon homemade Sazon seasoning, salt and pepper and water. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until thickened.
- Reserve ½ cup of the guiso for the tamales masa.
To make Masa:
- In a large bowl, combined boiling water with masarepa, salt, reserved guiso, and homemade Sazon seasoning. Mix well with a wooden spoon until well combined.
To make Colombian tamales:
- Place one piece of banana leaf on a counter. Cover perpendicularly with another piece, forming the shape a cross.
- Top with ½ cup of masa.
- Top with two slices of potato, and 2 slices of carrot.
- Top with chicken, trying to get a bit of each type of chicken meat piece and 1 tablespoon of chickpeas on top of the meat.
- To close each tamal colombiano, fold each side of the the banana leaves up, one at a time, so the leaves overlap each other and enclose the filling. Tie the package with butcher's twine.
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