King Ranch Chicken

Whenever I think of casserole recipes, this one is king.  In Texas, it is ubiquitous at church suppers, large gatherings, or the family dinner table.
 
The most comforting comfort food for true Texans.


Why it is called King Ranch Chicken is above my pay grade.  For 28 years I lived about a half-hour from the famous King Ranch, located in (of course), Kingsville, Texas.  This gi-nor-mous ranch is larger than some European countries.  It is also world famous for its beef, not chicken.  And, the recipe has Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken soup as two of the main ingredients – which doesn’t really jive with their image.
 
So, whatever the origin, this ooey-gooey, creamy, cheesy, tomato-y, enchilada-like, stick-to-your ribs casserole is a winner every time.  And, you are gonna love it – even if you aren’t a Texan.

I am going to give you the traditional version of this recipe, and then below, I will list a few alterations to tweak it.

King Ranch Chicken

1 Whole Chicken (Cooked with onion, celery, and garlic for flavor and then de-boned)

12 Corn Tortillas (quartered)

1 Onion (diced)

1 Bell Pepper (seeded, cored, and diced)

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 10 oz.can Ro-tel Tomatoes (drained)

2 C. Grated Cheddar Cheese (divided)

1/2- 1 C. Chicken Broth (saved from cooking your chicken)


INSTRUCTIONS:


1.  Preheat oven to 350-degrees.

2.  Saute bell pepper and onion in butter until soft.

3.  Shred or chop up de-boned chicken.

4.  Combine chicken, cooked vegetables,  Cream of Mushroom soup, Cream of Chicken soup, Ro-tel tomatoes and broth in a large bowl.  Only add enough chicken broth to make it smooth and creamy.
 
5.  Line a 9 x 13 casserole dish with half of the quartered tortillas.  Pour half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas.  Cover with 1 C. cheese.

6.  Layer with the remaining tortilla quarters.  Cover the tortillas with the rest of the chicken mixture and top the casserole with the remaining cheese.

7.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until brown and bubbly.

Yummmmm

Leslie’s Occasional Alterations:


1.  When cooking the chicken, add Mexican spices such as cumin (1 t.) and chili powder (1 T.) alongside the veggies.

2.  Most brands of Cream of Mushroom/Cream of Chicken soup are loaded with sodium and gluten.  I prefer Pacific Natural Food's Organic Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Chicken.  They are not as thick as other varieties; this will vary the addition of chicken broth.

3.  I use Food 4 Life Sprouted Corn Tortillas.  They contain non-GMO corn and use the whole corn kernel. Best of all, they add the most delicious corn flavor to the casserole.

4.  I always forget to buy Ro-tel tomatoes, so they are never on-hand when I want to make this casserole. I substitute with the same amount of salsa (which I ALWAYS have on-hand).

Another option would be to use 2 C. diced fresh tomatoes and 1/8 – 1/4 C. diced jalapenos in place of the Ro-tel tomatoes.

5.  Sometimes I top my casserole with sliced black olives.  I don’t know why, I just do.

6.  No time to stew a chicken?  De-bone a roasted chicken from your local grocery store. 

7.  You MUST serve this casserole with pinto beans.  It’s the law here in Texas (not really, but it should be).  Find the recipe here.

Lastly, here’s the recipe without pictures in a pdf format.

Enjoy!