Last night’s dinner was a King Ranch Casserole….something my husband has had his eyes on since he was told he could not eat beef or pork. When I first looked at the article written by “Berly’s Kitchen”, I thought it had ranch dressing as a main ingredient, but I WAS WRONG!!! King Ranch Casserole actually is a wonderful Tex-Mex entrée that has deep roots in the heart of Texas. Rumor has it, this recipe originated on the famous King Ranch in Kingsville, Tx. However, the family has never taken credit. Regardless, this casserole is full of flavor and the Hubs LOVED it! I looked at several recipes online and most had 2 cans of cream soups in them, but this recipe did not…it had 2 cups of sour cream. And looking through the comments, I learned that THIS recipe is THE ORIGINAL recipe…so that’s what I gravitated to. The other thing that I really liked about this recipe is that it freezes well. Always a plus when I am only feeding 2 people and the recipe calls for 6-8 servings. The next time I make this dish, I think I may add a can of drained black beans to increase the protein and fiber in the dish. You could probably add a can of corn as well, but for us, that would probably increase the carbs too much for the Hubs blood sugar levels.
Anyways, give this recipe a try and let me know what you think!!! Happy cooking!
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Cup White Onion (diced)
3 Large Garlic Cloves (minced)
2 cups Sour Cream
5 cups Chicken (cooked and chopped)
16 Ounces Salsa Verde (jarred)
10 Ounces Tomatoes and Green Chiles
4 Ounces Green Chiles
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
4 cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded)
20 Small Corn Tortillas (cut into fourths)
Instructions
1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch or 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray, then set aside.
2) In a medium skillet, melt the butter over low-medium heat, then add the onions. Cook the onions until they begin to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes, then add the garlic. Cook for an additional 30 seconds.
3) In a large bowl, combine the onions, garlic, chopped chicken, sour cream, salsa verde, tomatoes, green chiles, and cumin. Set aside.
4) Cut the tortillas into quarters. Spread one fourth of the chicken filling into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 1 cup of shredded cheese, then place a layer of tortillas over the cheese. It’s okay if the tortillas overlap some. Repeat this process of chicken filling, cheese, and tortillas 2 more times (total of 3 layers) making sure to use all the tortillas. Spread the last of the chicken filling on the top, then top that with the last cup of cheese.
5) Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sides are bubbly. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
