Chuchitos with Chicken and Recado

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09

These small Guatemalan tamales have a firm, lard-enriched masa filled with shredded chicken and a tomato-guajillo recado. They are tied in corn husks and steamed, then finished with salsa and crumbled cheese. This Guatemalan-inspired chicken recipe (gluten-free), ready in about 140 minutes, pairs boneless skinless chicken thighs, masa harina, chicken broth, warm for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 8, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 3 cups masa harina
• 2 1/2 cups, divided chicken broth, warm
• 2/3 cup lard or vegetable shortening
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp, divided salt
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 2 tomatillos, husked
• 2 guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 pasilla chile, stemmed and seeded
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp achiote paste
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 24 dried corn husks
• 1/2 cup queso seco or cotija, grated

Instructions

1. Step 1: Soak the corn husks in hot water for 30 minutes, until pliable.
2. Step 2: Simmer the chicken in 1 cup water with 1/2 tsp salt for 20 minutes. Shred the meat and keep the liquid.
3. Step 3: For the recado, toast the chiles and soak them for 10 minutes. Char the tomatoes and tomatillos. Blend them with the garlic, achiote, sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 cup of the chicken cooking liquid. Simmer for 10 minutes, until thick.
4. Step 4: Mix the shredded chicken with half the recado.
5. Step 5: Beat the lard until fluffy. Add the masa harina, baking powder, the remaining 1 tsp salt and 2 cups warm broth, and mix to a firm, smooth dough. It should be firmer than Mexican tamal dough.
6. Step 6: Spread about 1/4 cup of masa on each husk, add a spoonful of chicken, and fold the masa around the filling. Wrap the husk around it and tie each end with a strip of husk to make a small, firm bundle.
7. Step 7: Stand the chuchitos in a steamer basket and steam covered for 50–60 minutes. They are done when the masa pulls cleanly from the husk.
8. Step 8: Serve topped with the remaining recado and grated queso seco.