🇵🇦 Panamanian Cuisine

Tamales Panameños

Panamanian Tamales

Prep Time 90 min

Servings 10

Difficulty Hard

Calories 416 kcal

Large banana-leaf-wrapped corn dough tamales filled with chicken, olives, raisins, and sofrito — a festive dish reserved for holidays and celebrations.

Ingredients

6 cups masa (corn dough)
4 cups chicken broth
500g chicken thighs, cooked and shredded
1 cup green olives
1/2 cup raisins
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, diced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp annatto
Banana leaves
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1 Mix masa with chicken broth and annatto until smooth and spreadable. Season with salt.
2 Prepare sofrito: sauté onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Mix with shredded chicken, olives, and raisins.
3 Soften banana leaves over flame or in hot water. Cut into large rectangles.
4 Spread masa on banana leaf. Add chicken filling, egg slices.
5 Fold into rectangular packages. Tie securely with kitchen twine.
6 Steam for 2-3 hours until masa is firm. Serve unwrapped.

Did You Know?

Making tamales in Panama is a family event — everyone gathers for the "tamalada," assembling dozens while sharing stories and aguardiente.