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Tamale Grilled Cheese

Name: Tamale Grilled Cheese
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 80 g Lard; 2 Poblano chillies; 150 g Oaxacan cheese or mozzarella; 300 g Masa harina (corn flour); 180 ml Chicken stock; 200 g Cooked shredded chicken

45 min (25 prep + 20 cook) Easy 4 servings Fusión

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 29 Mar 2026 · Updated: 29 Mar 2026

Tamal prensado y gratinado con queso Oaxaca, chile poblano y pollo. Comfort food de fusión.

About this recipe

Flattened and griddled tamale in sandwich style: tamale dough pressed onto a griddle, filled with melted Oaxacan cheese, roasted poblano chilli and shredded chicken, sealed with another layer of dough and cooked until crispy outside with a soft interior.

History & Origin

The tamale grilled cheese emerged from food trucks in Los Angeles and San Antonio in the mid-2010s, when Chicano chefs began reformatting tamale flavours into more modern presentations. The idea is simple but brilliant: the corn masa of a tamale has a perfect texture for griddling, creating a crispy crust that recalls both the bread of an American grilled cheese and the crust of tamales toasted on a comal. The result is a dish that honours the tamale tradition while embracing the culture of the hot sandwich.

Estimated cost

£14.00

Total cost

£3.50

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

520

Calories

28g

Protein

48g

Carbohydrates

24g

Fat

Fibre

780mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Prepare the tamale dough: mix 300 g masa harina with 180 ml warm chicken stock, 80 g lard, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder until you have a soft, workable dough.
💡 The dough should have the texture of soft Play-Doh
2
Char 2 poblano chillies directly over a gas flame until the skin is completely blackened. Place in a plastic bag for 10 minutes. Peel, deseed and cut into strips. Shred 200 g cooked chicken.
3
Divide the dough into 8 portions. Roll each portion between two sheets of cling film into 15x10 cm rectangles about 5 mm thick.
4
On 4 of the dough rectangles, distribute poblano strips, shredded chicken and 150 g crumbled Oaxacan cheese (or mozzarella). Cover with the other 4 dough rectangles and seal the edges by pressing with your fingers.
5
Heat a griddle or non-stick frying pan over medium heat with a little lard or butter. Cook each tamale grilled cheese for 4–5 minutes per side until golden and the cheese has melted.
💡 Press gently with a spatula to ensure even contact
6
Serve immediately with soured cream, salsa verde and lime wedges. Cut diagonally to show the filling.