Chicken Tamales in Green Sauce

Pour hot water over the dried corn husks and let them soak for 30 minutes to soften; then drain and pat them dry.

Place the chicken breasts in a pot, add half the onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1000 ml water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove the breasts, let cool, then shred; strain the broth and measure out 450 ml for the dough.

For the green sauce, boil the tomatillos, serrano peppers, the remaining 2 garlic cloves, and 300 ml water for 8–10 minutes, until the tomatillos are soft. Transfer the vegetables to a blender, add salt, and blend until smooth; mix the sauce with the shredded chicken.

Beat the lard until light and fluffy. Gradually add the masa, baking powder, 450 ml of the chicken broth, and salt; mix until you get a soft, light dough that spreads easily.

Lay a husk with the wide side facing up, spoon 2–3 tbsp of dough into the center, and spread it toward the bottom edge. Add about 2 tbsp of the chicken in green sauce, fold in the sides toward the center, then fold the bottom edge up.

Pour 700 ml water into a steamer, set the rack in place, line it with a few corn husks, and stand the tamales upright with the folded edge facing down. Cover with husks, a towel, and the lid; steam over medium heat for 60 minutes, adding hot water as needed.

Check for doneness: the dough should pull away easily from the husk. Remove the tamales from the steamer, let them rest for 10 minutes to let the dough set, and serve hot.