How to Make Tamale Pie with Corn Chips
If you’re wondering how to make tamale pie with corn chips, you’re in for a fun, easy dinner idea. This is one of those meals you can throw together fast, with just five ingredients. It’s hearty, cheesy, and full of bold flavor—basically the kind of comfort food your family asks for again and again.
Tamale Pie with Corn Chips
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Grease a casserole dish.
- Chop one can of the tamales and set it aside.
- Pour one cup of chili into the greased dish. Spread it around evenly.
- Layer with half of the corn chips, half of the onion, half of the chopped tamales, and top with half of the shredded Cheddar cheese.
- Repeat the layering process in the same order…chili, chips, onion, tamales, and then cheese.
- Cover and bake for 45 min. to 1 hour.
- Sprinkle additional cheese on top to cover the darkened cheese and put it back in for 1 minute.
- Let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Just Five Ingredients
You only need a few things to pull off this delicious tamale pie recipe:
• 1 (15 oz) can of chili, divided
• 2 (15 oz) cans of beef tamales, divided
• 1 (10 oz) bag of corn chips (or tortilla chips if that’s what you’ve got), divided
• 1 small onion, finely diced and divided
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
That’s it! Five ingredients. Big flavor. Super satisfying.
Easy Method, Big Flavor
Let’s make it:
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
2. Grease your casserole dish with cooking spray.
3. Open one can of tamales, chop them up, and set aside.
4. Pour one cup of chili into the prepared baking dish and spread it out with a wooden spoon.
5. Layer half the corn chips, half the onion, and half the chopped tamales on top.
6. Sprinkle with one cup of cheddar cheese.
7. Repeat those same layers—chili, chips, onion, tamales, and cheese.
8. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes to one hour.
9. Let it rest 10–15 minutes before serving.
Simple steps, but wow—what a dish. It comes out warm, melty, and packed with that classic easy tamale pie taste.
Want to Add More to Your Meat Mixture?
You can easily add some extra ingredients to stretch it or spice it up. Here’s what I like tossing in:
• A can of black beans or pinto beans, drained
• A sprinkle of chili powder or taco seasoning
• Swap or mix in Monterey Jack cheese for a creamier finish
• Add a cooked meat mixture from your large skillet—like seasoned ground beef or turkey
You really can’t mess this up. Just layer and bake.
Toppings to Try
This pie gets even better when you let folks top their own slice. Here’s what works great:
• Dollop of sour cream
• Chopped green onions
• Extra cup cheese (you know what I mean!)
• A little hot sauce if you’re feeling spicy
Time to be a Doer and Make This Tamale Pie
It’s got everything—protein, crunch, cheese, and a little veg.
Plus, it’s a dish that’s fun to make. It smells so good coming out of the oven.
Give it a try. Let me know what toppings you used or how you made it your own. I bet your family’s going to ask for this one again soon.
– Anna sue
Anna Barbour
Hey there, my name is Anna, and I am so excited to share Keep It Simple Anna Sue with you. I am a wife, mother of two young men, and currently in a pre-empty nester season of life. God knew I needed blogging way before I did. Being a pre-empty nester has left me with…extra time. I decided to use that time for creativity and for helping others to see that if I can do it, they can do it too. Learn more about me.
