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King Ranch Casserole

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on November 7, 2011

Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

King Ranch Casserole

Ingredients

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 medium onions, chopped fine2 jalapeño chiles, minced2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel tomatoes (see note)5 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup heavy cream 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro 1 pound Cojack cheese, shredded (4 cups)Salt and pepper 2 ¼ cups Fritos, crushed

Before You Begin

If you can't find Ro-Tel tomatoes, substitute one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes and one 4-ounce can chopped green chiles. Cojack is a creamy blend of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses. We like its tangy flavor, but milder Jack cheese can be used in its place.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Lay tortillas on two baking sheets, lightly coat both sides with cooking spray, and bake until slightly crisp and browned, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then break into bite-sized pieces. Using potholders, adjust top oven rack to middle position.
  2. Heat butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onions, chiles, and cumin until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until most of liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add cream and broth, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Off heat, add cilantro and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Scatter half of tortilla pieces in 13 by 9-inch baking dish set over rimmed baking sheet. Spoon half of filling evenly over tortillas. Scatter remaining tortillas over filling, then top with remaining filling.
  4. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle Fritos evenly over top and bake until Fritos are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool casserole 10 minutes. Serve.
  5. Make Ahead: The casserole can be assembled through step 3 and refrigerated for up to 1 day. When ready to serve, cover casserole with foil and bake until filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove foil, top with Fritos, and proceed with rest of step 4 as directed.
King Ranch Casserole

King Ranch Casserole

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped fine
2 jalapeño chiles, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel tomatoes (see note)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 pound Cojack cheese, shredded (4 cups)
Salt and pepper
2 ¼ cups Fritos, crushed

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped fine
2 jalapeño chiles, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel tomatoes (see note)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 pound Cojack cheese, shredded (4 cups)
Salt and pepper
2 ¼ cups Fritos, crushed

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium onions, chopped fine
2 jalapeño chiles, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 (10-ounce) cans Ro-Tel tomatoes (see note)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
1 pound Cojack cheese, shredded (4 cups)
Salt and pepper
2 ¼ cups Fritos, crushed

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

King Ranch Casserole is the ultimate comfort food in Texas: layers of tender chicken, corn tortillas, and spicy tomatoes bound together in a rich, cheesy sauce. Most recipes start with one can each of cream of chicken soup and cream of mushroom soup. We wanted a King Ranch Casserole recipe that captured the dish’s mildly spicy flavor but didn’t include the usual canned soup. To achieve this, we started our recipe’s sauce with onions, chiles, cumin, and canned tomatoes. Instead of discarding the juice when we drained the tomatoes, we reduced the liquid to intensify the tomato flavor. Flour added thickness, cream added richness, and chicken stock gave the sauce even more flavor. Partially poaching the chicken before layering it with the tortillas and cheese guaranteed it was perfectly cooked by the time the rest of the King Ranch Casserole had cooked through. And crisping the tortillas in the oven kept them from turning to mush in the casserole.

Before You Begin

If you can't find Ro-Tel tomatoes, substitute one 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes and one 4-ounce can chopped green chiles. Cojack is a creamy blend of Colby and Monterey Jack cheeses. We like its tangy flavor, but milder Jack cheese can be used in its place.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Lay tortillas on two baking sheets, lightly coat both sides with cooking spray, and bake until slightly crisp and browned, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then break into bite-sized pieces. Using potholders, adjust top oven rack to middle position.
  2. Heat butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onions, chiles, and cumin until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until most of liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add cream and broth, bring to simmer, and cook until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Off heat, add cilantro and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Scatter half of tortilla pieces in 13 by 9-inch baking dish set over rimmed baking sheet. Spoon half of filling evenly over tortillas. Scatter remaining tortillas over filling, then top with remaining filling.
  4. Bake until filling is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle Fritos evenly over top and bake until Fritos are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool casserole 10 minutes. Serve.
  5. Make Ahead: The casserole can be assembled through step 3 and refrigerated for up to 1 day. When ready to serve, cover casserole with foil and bake until filling is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove foil, top with Fritos, and proceed with rest of step 4 as directed.

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Appears In

Magazine

April​ / May 2007

Key Equipment

Equipment

Dutch Ovens

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Ingredient

Corn Tortillas

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