Healthy Chicken Tamales | Lite Cravings | WW Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are chicken tamales healthy? ›

Tamales are full of nutrition thanks to their high fiber content, well-rounded macronutrient composition, and micronutrients. Filled varieties in particular make great meals since they're higher in protein. Therefore, they're wonderful foods to incorporate to promote your health.

“If you know you have high blood pressure or diabetes, you probably shouldn't eat traditional tamales,” Pascoe says. “Instead, I would recommend preparing a dozen or so healthy tamales, which use all of our healthy substitutions.”

Tamale with chicken contains 353 calories per 164 g serving. This serving contains 22 g of fat, 14 g of protein and 24 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 0.7 g sugar and 2 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Tamale with chicken contains 8.1 g of saturated fat and 66 mg of cholesterol per serving.

“Tamales are generally considered healthy,” says Bansari Acharya, R.D.N., a registered dietitian and blogger at FoodLove. “Especially because they're steamed instead of fried.” However, because of the fat and carbohydrate content, it's important to watch your portions.

tamales have a lot of carbs which turns into sugar so you should probably only have two even though they are really good just be mindful of how many you have,” said Thompson.

You can serve tamales with a variety of sides such as fried plantains, potatoes with rajas, Mexican rice and black beans. “When planning a tamalada, or tamal party, you can accompany your tamales with bowls of red and green salsa, crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco, fresh lime and pickled red onion,” Sibley says.

You can safely store thawed tamales in the refrigerator for up to four days, but it is best to eat them as quickly as possible to reduce the risk of food poisoning. When storing tamales in the fridge, don't overcrowd them and make sure the temperature stays at or below 40° F.

Yes, they're high in carbohydrates, but with a new year usually comes the need for carbohydrate fuel to keep a person on the treadmill or the hike. Tamales are a good source of fiber to keep those bowels moving regularly. Tamales give a good supply of protein to repair and renew cells.

Are canned tamales good for you? ›

You may be surprised to learn that tamales are actually quite nutritious–providing fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, depending on the filling, tamales may be a good source of protein or vegetables.

On average, women need about 1,600 to 2,400 calories each day, and men need 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day -- based on age and activity level. If you figure out that you need 2,000 calories per day, then you need to keep your calorie intake about equal with that number.

The favorite choice for the term "Tamales" is 1 Tamale with Chicken which has about 18 mg of cholesterol. The amount of cholesterol for a variety of types and serving sizes of Tamales is shown below.

Amount per serving: Calories 280, Total Fat 18g (23% DV), Sat.

You may be surprised to learn that tamales are actually quite nutritious–providing fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Plus, depending on the filling, tamales may be a good source of protein or vegetables.

The sugar in Hot Tamales and other candy may be beneficial for people with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), but not for the rest of the population who do not need or want their blood sugar increased. These sweet treats are packed full of sugar and some varieties are even coated or dusted with more sugar.

Tamales give a good supply of protein to repair and renew cells. Eat 1 tamale, and you'll get a good source of iron and phosphorus for a good dose of energy. Tamales are a good source of vitamins that can help a body in several areas; blood circulation and stress levels and aid a healthy brain and nerve cells.

Chicken Tamales Ingredients

Chicken filling: We turn shredded chicken into a thick, savory filling by cooking it with canola oil, flour, chili powder, salt, garlic and pepper. Tamale dough: This savory corn dough is a combination of shortening, chicken stock and masa harina, a flour made from dried nixtamalized corn.