Entree -- King Ranch Chicken Casserole (A Tex-Mex Classic)
Submitted by dvdlee on August 27, 2004 at 10:09 am

DESCRIPTION
Entree -- King Ranch Chicken Casserole (A Tex-Mex Classic)

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Family / Ethnic / Regional

INSTRUCTIONS
A friend who now lives in Vancouver, BC called and begged for my King Ranch Chicken Recipe he had eaten before. I was surprised that it was a dish that really doesn't appear in many cookbooks.
It is a classic Tex-Mex dish where American cooking fused with Mexican (or vice-versa).

The dish is very popular in Texas -- and there are 2 basic versions: an "scratch" version and one made with Campbell Cream Soups! This is scratch version, but I can post the Junior-League version if requested.

Here it is! Recipe adapted from American century

2 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon ground hot red pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk or 1/2 and 1/2
2 tablespoons sour cream
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon butter
1 small yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/2 medium green bell peeper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chopped roasted green chilies
6 ounces mushrooms, wiped clean and finely chopped
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes (drained)
2 tablespoons minced pimiento

Tortillas: Vegetable oil for frying 8 corn tortillas

3 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 & 1/2 cups coarsely shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat 11 by 7 by 2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Sauce: Melt butter in medium heavy skillet over moderate heat. Add garlic, red pepper, and cumin and fry for 1 minute. Blend in flour, add broth and milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth - about 3 minutes. Stir in sour cream, salt, and black pepper to taste; set aside.

Filling: Melt butter in large heavy skillet, over moderate heat. Add onion, green pepper, green chilies, mushrooms, tomatoes, and pimiento, and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften and flavors meld-10 to 15 minutes.

Tortillas: Pour oil to depth of 1/2 inch in small heavy skillet, set over moderate heat, and heat until ripples appear on skillet bottom. Holding tortillas by tongs, dip one by one into oil just long enough to soften, 5 to 10 seconds. Drain on paper towels.

Assembly: Arrange half of tortillas in bottom of prepared baking dish, then build up layers this way, distributing each evenly: 1/2 chicken and 1/3 sauce; 1/2 each filling (cheese, olives, and scallions) then remaining tortillas, chicken, 1/3 sauce, fillings, and finally, top with remaining sauce. (You can spinkle a tiny bit of cheese on top of the sauce.

Bake, uncovered, until bubbly- about 30 to 35 minutes. Serve at once.

This also tastes great the next day! warm in 200F oven or microwave if you must.

You can tweak this recipe however you like. I usually add a dash or 2 or 3 of Tobasaco sauce, maybe a little chili power, and omit the green olives (I just don't like them.)