Name: King Ranch Casserole
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1½ lb chicken, cooked boneless/skinless diced white, dark or combination of both; 1 whole onion (white or yellow), peeled, cored and diced; 2 tbsp cilantro, roughly chopped (optional); 1 10oz can RoTel tomato and chilies with juice ((substitute with 2 diced tomato and chilies or jarred salsa)); 1 10.5oz can cream of mushroom soup; 1 10.5oz can cream of chicken soup; 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated split into 2 portions; ½ cup sour cream or Mexican crema ((Plus more for serving on the side)); 2 cups corn tortilla, fresh cut into strips or leftover fried corn tortilla chips ((Flour tortillas work as well))

Why the King Ranch?

While the history of the King Ranch Casserole has been lost to time (like so many iconic dishes), the most likely reference comes from the King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas. This ranch was the largest of its kind for years (roughly 1 million acres at one point) and making a dish that could feed all those ranch hands would take something quick and easy to prepare, and economical enough to make a ton of it. Thus the King Ranch Casserole was born.

This is really a Tex-Mex dish that is delicious when served with a light green salad or guacamole salad on the side. Leftovers can be turned into chicken enchilada soup or thinned out with sour cream to make a delicious hot dip for fried corn tortillas.

An Adaptable Dish

Traditionally this recipe calls for a can of Ro-Tel tomatoes which contains diced tomatoes and green chilies, but this recipe is very adaptable. You can add fresh diced tomato and Hatch chilies, which are packaged in mild, medium or hot, and found in the frozen section of many grocery stores. Alternatively, add whatever fresh hot chilies you have available in your area-serrano, jalapeno, Anaheim or poblano all work well.

If using fresh chilies they will need to be charred, peeled and seeded before use. See how on Fresh Corn, Zucchini & Hatch Chile Casserole blog post. Still another alternative is to use your favorite jar of salsa. The idea is to add diced tomato and chilies.

Which Tortillas?

Here is the ongoing debate over using corn or flour tortillas. Both are delicious and both work. I prefer corn tortillas since they add another flavor to the dish. Fresh or fried tortillas can be used since this an extremely versatile recipe. Whatever you have on hand will work. If I had to break the tie, I would advise fresh corn tortillas (white, yellow, red or blue).

Warm delicious comfort food from Texas. Try with a simple green salad, Molcajete Guacamole or Cowboy Beans.

Core and peel a white or yellow onion and cut into a small dice.

This step is optional and not traditional. I love the flavor of cilantro, but I know there are some out there that don’t, so leave this out if desired.

Use a large mixing bowl to hold the ingredients. Add the onion and cilantro, then the RoTel tomatoes or fresh/jarred substitution. Next add half of the sharp cheddar cheese-about 3/4 cup.

Finally, add Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Chicken and sour cream.

Using a large rubber spatula or kitchen spoon, mix all of the first ingredients together.

Cook chicken until just done in basic seasonings. Here I used salt, black pepper and paprika.

Dice the chicken into small to medium dice.

Add the diced chicken to the onion, cheese mixture. Mix to incorporate.

Traditionally fresh corn tortillas are cut into strips for this part. I had leftover fried corn tortilla pieces that I mixed in. You can substitute fresh flour tortilla strips as well. I have one sister who loves the casserole with flour tortillas and another who swears by corn. Use your favorite tortilla.

This recipe makes enough casserole for a 9×13 inch dish, however here I am using an 8×8 inch dish. Since my wife and I don’t need that much King Ranch Casserole at one time, I froze the other half to make another day. In either event, before baking, coat the casserole dish with non-stick oil spray before adding the casserole.

Add the mixed casserole to the dish leaving a small gap at the top to add the other half of the cheese later on.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place into the preheated 350°F/175°C oven. Bake covered for 40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling hot.

After 40 minutes remove from the oven and uncover.

Sprinkle the second half of the sharp cheddar cheese over the casserole and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

After the cheese has melted and is just starting to get crispy, remove from the oven and allow to rest 5-8 minutes before serving.

Warm, spicy and supremely satisfying. King Ranch Casserole is one of those things that never fails to please.

Drink Pairings: Cold Dos Equis Amber, any Pilsner, Shiner Bock, Iced tea is great as well

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