Filling:

1.5 lbs chicken breast

1 cup vegetable broth
2 cups water (or enough
to cover chicken in pot)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 medium onion
1 medium bell pepper
2 teaspoons dried chili
peppers, crushed
3 garlic cloves
1 tomato

2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black
pepper
1/2 cup tomato paste
Masa:
2 cups masa corn flour
2 cups almond flour
2 teaspoon coconut oil
1 small avocado, mashed
1 teaspoon baking
powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chicken broth
(reserved from cooking
the chicken)
16 collard green leaves
Added Vegetables:
1 medium zucchini
squash, diced and
steamed
2 cups steamed spinach

Instructions
1. Place the chicken breasts in a pot and add enough water to cover them. Bring pot to a low boil. Cover and simmer for
20 minutes until the meat is cooked.
2. Remove chicken from the broth (set broth aside) and let it cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it
and chop. You may add a little broth to keep it moist.
3. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet and saut the onion, garlic and peppers until tender. Add the tomato, chili
peppers, pepper, cumin, and salt. Add tomato paste and 1 cup of the chicken broth and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Stir the mixture as needed.
4. Steam the zucchini and spinach.
5. Puree the sauce in a food processor or blender and return it to the pan. Add the shredded chicken, stir and let the
mixture simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat. Allow to cool.
6. Add the steamed vegetables to the chicken mixture.
7. Slice the stems of the collard green leaves down by gliding your knife parallel
to the back of the leaf and slice as much of the stem off as possible without
cutting into the leaf itself (follow the image to the right). This will make the
tamale easier to wrap up.
8. Get your tamale pot or steamer pot set up with water simmering in the bottom
and steam all the collard leaves at once, just stack them inside, for five
minutes. Then pull them out and set them aside to cool.
9. Prepare the masa mixture by combining all ingredients and mixing until the mixture clumps together. Add broth as
needed to make the masa easier to move. Turn on to a floured surface and knead for a minute. Divide the masa mixture
into 16 equal balls.
10. Flatten the collard green on a flat surface. With a spoon, spread one ball of dough over the leaf, leaving about a 1-inch
margin on all sides. You may add a few tablespoons of warm chicken broth to the masa to make it easier to spread.
Add about 2 or 3 tablespoons of filling to the center. Roll up lengthwise and wrap with the collard green. Repeat with
rest of the dough, filling the leaves.
11. Place the tamales in a steamer basket and set over one inch of boiling water. Cover tightly and reduce heat. Steam the
tamales about 60 minutes until cooked. Check often and replenish water as needed.

Healthier Tamales:

Traditional Tamales: