This green chile chicken tamale pie is a quick and easy dinner idea! Flavorful chicken with cheese and green chiles with a cornbread ‘crust’.  Prepare the chicken ahead of time to make it even quicker! Perfect for a weeknight meal. 

Green Chile Chicken Tamale Pie. Tamales are the best right? Although it’s not really practical to make them for a quick weeknight meal.  Instead, we can make this tamale pie!  The hubs’ favorite tamale is the cheese and green chiles.  This is a little play on that.  With some chicken added in to give a little heartiness.

This green chile chicken tamale pie is a quick and easy dinner idea! Flavorful chicken with cheese and green chiles with a cornbread 'crust'. Prepare the chicken ahead of time to make it even quicker! Perfect for a weeknight meal.

The chicken is my new favorite way to cook chicken.  And it’s how I made the chicken in the Zucchini Boat Chicken Enchiladas.  Super easy.  To make this meal even easier on a busy weekday, just make the chicken ahead of time.

Can I be honest?  I never really thought that cornbread created a realistic substitution for a tamale.  But then I made a tamale pie.

Leaving leftovers for a day in the fridge really made the cornbread take on the texture of a tamale.

This green chile chicken tamale pie is a quick and easy dinner idea! Flavorful chicken with cheese and green chiles with a cornbread 'crust'. Prepare the chicken ahead of time to make it even quicker! Perfect for a weeknight meal.

The best part about tamale pie?  You can load it up with all your favorite toppings.  I think we all know my love for tossing tomatoes, cilantro, and sour cream on things.  And by things I mean my tex mex food.

This green chile chicken tamale pie is a quick and easy dinner idea! Flavorful chicken with cheese and green chiles with a cornbread 'crust'. Prepare the chicken ahead of time to make it even quicker! Perfect for a weeknight meal.

Green Chile Chicken Tamale Pie

5 from 2 votes
This green chile chicken tamale pie is a quick and easy dinner idea! Flavorful chicken with cheese and green chiles with a cornbread ‘crust’. Prepare the chicken ahead of time to make it even quicker! Perfect for a weeknight meal.

Ingredients

Green Chile Chicken Filling

  • lbs chicken breast
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ cup yellow onion, diced
  • 1 (4 ounce can) diced green chiles
  • 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Cornbread Crust

  • ¾ cup cornmeal
  • ¼ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 2 tbsp butter, melted
  • ½ cup corn kernels

Optional Toppings

  • tomatoes
  • green onion
  • cilantro
  • sour cream

Instructions

Green Chile Chicken Filling

  • In a large skillet heat the olive oil. Add the chicken. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cook about 7 minutes on each side until chicken is fully cooked. Remove from the skillet and place on cutting board.
  • Add the chopped onion to the skillet and allow to cook for a few minutes until the onion is softened and translucent. Remove from heat.
  • Shred the chicken and place in a bowl. Add the garlic powder, cumin, cooked onion, green chiles, and 1 cup of the jack cheese. Stir to combine. Set aside.

Cornbread Crust

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 9 inch cast iron skillet with butter or baking spray.
  • In a medium size mixing bowl add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Stir with a fork to combine.
  • Pour in the hot water and melted butter. Stir until mixed. Fold in the corn kernels.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet. Spoon the chicken filling into the center of the skillet on top of the cornbread batter. Leave about a 1/4 of an inch around the edge as a crust. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  • Bake for about 25-28 minutes. Until cheese is melted and the cornbread is cooked through and golden on the edges.
  • Serve warm and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 655kcal, Carbohydrates: 34g, Protein: 55g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 16g, Cholesterol: 174mg, Sodium: 1235mg, Potassium: 829mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 663IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 468mg, Iron: 3mg
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