Home ยป Chicken Tamale Pie

Chicken Tamale Pie

tamalepie1We have an elliptical fix-it man ghost.

Our elliptical has been making this weird clicking noise for the past month or so. My mom even noticed it this weekend when we were working out. Mr. P kept calling for someone to come out and take a look at it and yesterday was finally that day. We were sure to be home for our 5pm or after appointment and good thing because the elliptical repair man showed up right at 5.

Mr. P retreated to the basement with him to show him the problem and wouldn’t you know…the elliptical up and decided to work just fine. Mr. Prevention came up from the basement and was ticked to say the least. The man probably thought we were crazy, but I guess we have an elliptical fix-it man ghost!

tamalepie2On a completely unrelated note, this Chicken Tamale Pie was delicious! My coworkers, as always, think I eat really “weird” food. And I am that coworker that stinks up the break room with wafting scents of brussels sprouts and seafood…get over it, people! I’m not going to plan my lunch around your smell preferences!

But these leftovers at lunch created quite the commotion in response to its smells. In a good way.

As attractive as this pie is as a whole, it wasn’t exactly tidy to remove from the pan and ended up in one messy heap on my plate. Hence, these photos are lacking and few in number. But hey, image isn’t everything…especially with food.

I am natural drawn to recipes that have a Mexican twist and if I’m being honest, I love creamed corn. I know, I know…but it’s so good 🙂 Everything in moderation! This recipe doesn’t epitomize health, but it isn’t lacking either. It’s pretty middle-of-the-road but packs lots of flavor. This is sure to be a hit with husbands and kids alike…even if served in an unattractive heap! Just ask my coworkers! They all but begged me to share 🙂

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Chicken Tamale Pie adapted from Cooking Light, as seen on Pinch of Yum

1/3 cup fat free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg)
1 1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning, divided
1/4 tsp ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4 oz) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5 oz) box corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 (10 oz) can red enchilada sauce
2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded
3/4 cup part-skim (2%) Mexican blend shredded cheese
2 Tbsp cilantro, chopped for garnish
2 Tbsp Cotija cheese, crumbled for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine milk through green chiles, using just 1/2 tablespoon of the taco seasoning, in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into pie plate. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until nearly set and golden brown.

While baking, toss the chicken in the remaining 1 tablespoon taco seasoning.

Pierce entire surface of the cornbread crust liberally with a fork. Pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Top with cilantro and Cojita.

Yield: 6 large pieces.

Nutrition Information (per piece): 351 calories; 9.7 g. fat; 38 mg. cholesterol; 841 mg. sodium; 46 g. carbohydrate; 1.2 g. fiber; 21 2. g. protein

Result: I had some trouble with this recipe. The suggested cook time for the “crust” was not nearly long enough. I ended up nearly doubling the first bake time (my changes are reflected above). You could certainly make this in a larger pan and reduce the baking time, however. I ended up using about 9 ounces of enchilada sauce…it started running over the edges. Oops. Despite the over-filled pie pan, this meal turned out great and was very, very flavorful. Certainly a crowd-pleaser! Enjoy!

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Wednesday already! Yay! Seriously, this week is flying by and I love it! I am looking forward to a rest day – my run yesterday was terrrrrible. I had planned a 6-mile run and totally pooped out after 3.75. My body was telling me to stop…for well over a mile, so I did. And I’m glad. My plantar faciitis is rearing its ugly head this week. Note to self: don’t wear cute heels when you teach, Nicole!

Be well,

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25 Comments

  1. Gina (The Candid RD)
    April 4, 2012 / 6:46 am

    lol, I HATE IT when that happens!! Our elliptical has been making weird noises lately too, but we just wear ear plugs to make it go away ๐Ÿ™‚ I hadn’t thought to call a fix-it man (and I wish your ghost would come over here too!).

    This recipe sounds wonderful. And it’s under 350 calories?! Crazy.

    I feel your pain (literally) when it comes to plantar fasciitis. Ugh, I hate it, especially in the summer!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      April 4, 2012 / 9:54 am

      Sorry, girl. I feel your pain…literally. My feet hurt SO bad…all the time, but especially here lately ๐Ÿ™

  2. Hezzi-D
    April 4, 2012 / 7:49 am

    Oh my this looks incredible! I love making meals where everything is thrown into one dish and the whole pie looks gorgeous-so rich in color.

  3. Amy B @ Second City Randomness
    April 4, 2012 / 9:01 am

    I really hope you don’t have any more issues with the elliptical! Knowing my luck, it would start clicking again tonight or something… ha ha

  4. Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life
    April 4, 2012 / 10:00 am

    Ugh – why does that always happen?! Such is life, I guess! Hope you have a great day!

  5. Kristen (swanky dietitian)
    April 4, 2012 / 11:03 am

    YUM! I am also the coworker that has stinky food! haha.
    I think the pics still look gorgeous..and it looks just delicious! ๐Ÿ™‚
    And I am with you on the creamed corn!

  6. Jaida
    April 4, 2012 / 11:21 am

    OMG this looks amazing!! Reminds me of an enchilada lasagna that I make and LOVE. I’m going to try this soon!

  7. Biz
    April 4, 2012 / 11:54 am

    My mouth is watering with this dish! I wish Mr. Biz would eat that – I may have to make this for me and my SIL next week! ๐Ÿ˜€

  8. Andrea
    April 4, 2012 / 12:30 pm

    WOW, this looks amazing. Creamed corn… yeah, not the healthiest, but sooooooo good!! Can’t wait to try this recipe!

  9. Leah @ Why Deprive?
    April 4, 2012 / 3:13 pm

    This would be a good recipe to make ahead of time to eat during the week. I should try and remember to make it this weekend.
    I don’t know why, but I can never find enchilada sauce here. I guess it’s just another thing to stock up on when I’m in the states.

  10. Renee @ Mykitchenadventures
    April 4, 2012 / 4:51 pm

    Holy yum! I love that the sauce is oozing over the side! Makes it look even more inviting!

    boo about the elliptical….kind of like when you take your car into the shop because it’s making a noise and then it decides not to…until you get it home again! lol

  11. Melissa
    April 5, 2012 / 9:36 am

    We just had this same recipe last week and looooved it! My picture was less than appetizing, so I didn’t blog it yet, but cannot wait to have it again! Definitely one of my new favorites! I had the same issue with baking the crust – it took much longer than stated. Next time I am going to try it in my cast iron skillet instead of a pie dish. I ran out of room!

  12. Kate
    April 5, 2012 / 7:22 pm

    Better to have an elliptical fix-it man than an elliptical break-it man.

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  14. Kelli
    April 8, 2012 / 8:03 pm

    I made this tonight — very tasty!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      April 9, 2012 / 6:43 am

      Glad you enjoyed it, Kelli!

  15. CJ - Food Stories
    April 9, 2012 / 12:23 pm

    Thanks for connecting with me on foodbuzz. I love your site and I love this recipe. I have added you to my reading list and will be back ๐Ÿ™‚

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  17. Brandy
    May 29, 2012 / 9:30 pm

    So I just made this tonight – and it was awesome. I usually share food that is over 4 servings with a friend. I don’t think he’s getting any of this ๐Ÿ˜‰ One suggestion, if you make it again – try a deep dish pie dish. That’s what I used and I didn’t have any leak over.

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      May 29, 2012 / 9:43 pm

      Brandy: So glad you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚ I will definitely use a deep dish pie pan next time – thanks! ๐Ÿ™‚

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  19. Lori
    July 31, 2012 / 2:14 pm

    This was amazing! And it tastes even just as fantastic the next day. Definitely will be making this again and again. Loving the website!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      July 31, 2012 / 3:44 pm

      Lori: So glad you enjoyed this! I have to agree — a definite keeper recipe! ๐Ÿ™‚ Thanks for reading!

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  21. Jenna
    January 10, 2013 / 2:35 pm

    I made this last night withgreen enchilada sauce. It was a great recipe…easy and delicious. Thanks!

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