Trim any excess skin from the chicken thighs, then generously season both sides with salt and ground pepper. 

Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and brown both sides. Work in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding.

Pour in the water and add the browned chicken back into the pot. Then, add the onion, garlic, allspice, bay leaves, and cilantro. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and gently simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.

Once the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the chicken from the broth. Let it cool slightly, then carefully strain the broth and set it aside.

Preheat the oven to high broil.

Arrange the tomatillos, peppers, chile, onion, and garlic in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Drizzle with oil and broil for 10-15 minutes, or until the surface is blistered and blackened.

Once the roasted ingredients are done, remove them from the oven and let them cool. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it, discarding the bones and skin.

Transfer the roasted ingredients to a blender, peeling the garlic cloves and removing the skin from the poblano peppers and stems from the chiles de árbol. Add the cloves, cumin, oregano, spinach, cilantro, and 2 cups of chicken broth. Blend until smooth. 

Reserve 2 cups of the green sauce for the masa and set aside, using the remainder for the next step.

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat. Cook the tomato paste for 1 minute, then carefully pour in the green sauce. Add the remaining 1 cup of broth to the blender to capture any leftover sauce, swirl, and stir into the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the epazote and gently simmer for 5 minutes. 

Remove the epazote sprig, then stir in the shredded chicken and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Finally, season with salt, turn off the heat, and let the mixture cool completely before assembling the tamales. 

Sort through the husks, selecting medium to large ones without holes or dark spots for wrapping the tamales. Any imperfect ones can be set aside for use during cooking.

Submerge the husks in warm to hot water for 15–30 minutes, or until softened. Rinse them, remove any corn silk, drain, and transfer to a container. Then, dry them completely with a kitchen towel.

In a large bowl, whisk the lard until smooth and lump-free. Then, whisk in the avocado oil until fully combined and smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix the corn masa harina, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined.

Add the masa mixture in two parts, kneading between each addition until the lard mixture is fully incorporated and the dough reaches a crumbly consistency.

Knead in the 2 cups of green sauce until fully combined. Gradually add the broth, kneading the dough after each addition. The dough should be moist, spreadable, and loose but not runny. The amount of broth may vary depending on its temperature; I used about 3 cups.

Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel to prevent it from drying out. If it does, add more broth to adjust the consistency.

Spread a thin layer of masa over the smooth side of the corn husk using a flexible spatula or bench scraper. Cover about two-thirds of the husk, leaving some space on both sides and the top.

Spoon a generous amount of chicken filling onto the center of the masa, leaving enough space on the sides to close the tamal. 

Now, seal the edges of the masa, keeping the husk ends together, fold, and roll. Feel where the masa ends at the top and fold downward, making sure the flap stays under to keep the tamal closed. Transfer onto a sheet pan and continue making the rest.

Use a large steamer pot and add enough water to reach just below the rack, ensuring it doesn’t touch the tamales while cooking. Line the rack completely with additional corn husks, using the imperfect ones if needed.

Arrange three tamales in a ‘T’ shape, with the open ends facing inward to create a stable base.

Arrange the remaining tamales around the base, with the open ends facing up. Cover with the imperfect husks to prevent water from getting in. 

Let the water come to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, cover the pot, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 60-90 minutes, or until the dough is fully cooked. Add more water to the bottom of the pot if it’s running low.

Remove a tamal from the pot and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before unwrapping. If it releases easily from the husk, holds its shape, and doesn’t taste like raw masa, it’s ready. Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered if not in use.