This is my kicked-up version of King Ranch Chicken Casserole. A couple of modifications takes this venerable family dinner and church lunch classic to the next level.
The origin of this dish is open for debate but it came about post WWII when canned soup based casseroles became popular time saving meals which freed the lady of the house from long hours of kitchen drudgery.
Ingredients usually call for bell peppers and regular RoTel tomatoes with diced chilies. Despite the name there appears to be no connection with the King Ranch. One ranch cook was heard to comment something along the lines of: "We are a cattle ranch, why would we make a chicken dish?"
Many chefs look down on this dish ("its bland" "it looks like mush" are common comments) but it remains a popular comfort food found in Southern restaurants and in home kitchens across the country.
Super Dave's King Ranch Chicken
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 stick of salted butter
Poblano pepper, 1/2 - 1 cup diced
Yellow onion, 1/2 - 1 cup diced
1 can Chipotle RoTels
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
2 - 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or diced
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar.
about 15 - 18 corn tortillas
Cooking spray such as PAM
9 X 13 casserole dish
Optional Ingredients, All To Taste:
Paprika for the topping
Hatch chilies either with or without the poblanos
Garlic
Method:
Preheat oven to 325o
Melt butter in a skillet. Add diced onions and peppers and saute until tender. Meanwhile, combine soups and RoTels in a bowl. Add chicken and, when they are done, add the onion/pepper mixture.
Spray a 9" X 13" casserole dish with PAM. Take 1/3 of the tortillas, cut them into thirds (parallel cuts) then rotate 90 degrees and cut into thirds again. Layer the cut tortillas evenly in the casserole dish. Spread 1/3 of the chicken mixture evenly over the tortillas, then spread 1/2 cup of the cheese over the chicken layer. Repeat two more times using 1 cup of cheese on the top layer. Optional: sprinkle the top layer of cheese with paprika, I used a little hot paprika and a little smoked paprika.
Cook uncovered 30-40 minutes until bubbly all the way through. If you want the cheese to brown more, finish under the broiler.
The origin of this dish is open for debate but it came about post WWII when canned soup based casseroles became popular time saving meals which freed the lady of the house from long hours of kitchen drudgery.
Ingredients usually call for bell peppers and regular RoTel tomatoes with diced chilies. Despite the name there appears to be no connection with the King Ranch. One ranch cook was heard to comment something along the lines of: "We are a cattle ranch, why would we make a chicken dish?"
Many chefs look down on this dish ("its bland" "it looks like mush" are common comments) but it remains a popular comfort food found in Southern restaurants and in home kitchens across the country.
Super Dave's King Ranch Chicken
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
1 stick of salted butter
Poblano pepper, 1/2 - 1 cup diced
Yellow onion, 1/2 - 1 cup diced
1 can Chipotle RoTels
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
2 - 3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded or diced
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar.
about 15 - 18 corn tortillas
Cooking spray such as PAM
9 X 13 casserole dish
Optional Ingredients, All To Taste:
Paprika for the topping
Hatch chilies either with or without the poblanos
Garlic
Method:
Preheat oven to 325o
Melt butter in a skillet. Add diced onions and peppers and saute until tender. Meanwhile, combine soups and RoTels in a bowl. Add chicken and, when they are done, add the onion/pepper mixture.
Spray a 9" X 13" casserole dish with PAM. Take 1/3 of the tortillas, cut them into thirds (parallel cuts) then rotate 90 degrees and cut into thirds again. Layer the cut tortillas evenly in the casserole dish. Spread 1/3 of the chicken mixture evenly over the tortillas, then spread 1/2 cup of the cheese over the chicken layer. Repeat two more times using 1 cup of cheese on the top layer. Optional: sprinkle the top layer of cheese with paprika, I used a little hot paprika and a little smoked paprika.
Cook uncovered 30-40 minutes until bubbly all the way through. If you want the cheese to brown more, finish under the broiler.
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