Chicken Tortilla Casserole

I was looking for a different recipe to use up white corn tortillas and some leftover chicken. I came across a treasure trove of recipes out there for a Texas dish called King Ranch Casserole. It is basically layers of tortillas, chicken, cheese, and a sauce with–you guessed it, condensed cream of mushroom and chicken soup. However, I did come across of a few other recipes that actually made the sauce from scratch with butter, flour and broth. Now we are talking. With a few tweaks here and there I have come up with a definite crowd pleaser. I believe my husband’s exact words were, “Don’t forget about this one!” Bonus to the blog! The recipe is now published.

We enjoyed this with a side of Quick Stewed Black Beans and a simple salad.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

By Nicole Prep: 15 minsCook: 1 hrTotal: 1 hr 15 mins Servings: 8 Whip up some Tex-Mex flavor with this comforting casserole. Layers of melty cheese, chicken and tortillas will surely be a crowd pleaser!

Equipment

• 9 x 13-inch baking dish

Ingredients 

• 3 cups leftover chicken, I had one breast, 2 thighs, 2 drums
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 poblano pepper, finely diced
• 1 (10 ounce) can of Ro-tel tomatoes with green chiles
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ½ teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ½ cups chicken stock
• ½ cup whole milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups Chihuahua cheese, grated (about 8 ounces)
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 4 ounces)
• 12 white corn tortillas
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions 

1. Butter the sides and bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the flour, chili powder, oregano, and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and stir to thicken the sauce. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the milk and Ro-Tel. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 15-20 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Cut each tortilla in half for easy placement in the baking pan. Ladle 1 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the pan. Layer half the tortillas on top of the sauce cut sides facing out (a few will go in the center to cover any holes). Add half of the chicken, half of the remaining sauce, half of the cilantro and half of the grated cheese blend. Repeat the layering of tortillas, chicken, sauce, cilantro and finish with the remaining cheese. Cook uncovered for 30-45 minutes or until brown and bubbling. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a good hot sauce like Cholulua. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 101mg, Sodium: 403mg, Potassium: 497mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1385IU, Vitamin C: 37mg, Calcium: 390mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.