King Ranch Chicken
Serves 6
3 Tbsp. butter
2 large cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp. chili powder
3 Tbsp. flour
¾ cup chicken broth
¾ cup buttermilk
salt & pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
½ large green bell pepper, chopped
10 oz. can Ro-Tel tomatoes & chilies
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
2 Tbsp. chopped pimientos
3-4 cups cooked, diced chicken (light or dark meat)
1/3 cup sliced green olives
1/3 cup green onions, chopped
8 corn tortillas
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish or a 3-quart casserole.
Sauce:
Melt butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chili powder, sauté for a few minutes. Raise the heat to medium. Quickly sprinkle in the flour and stir. Add ½ of the chicken broth, stirring constantly to remove lumps. Gradually add the rest of the chicken broth and the buttermilk and stir until sauce is thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sauce may be prepared in advance and refrigerated.
Filling:
Melt olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the chopped onion, green pepper, Ro-Tel tomatoes and chilies, mushrooms and pimientos until onion is transparent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Fold in the chicken, olives and green onions. Remove from heat.
Assemble:
Place the tortillas in the filling mixture one at a time until softened (few seconds). Cover the bottom of the serving dish with 4 of the softened tortillas. Layer the remaining ingredients in the following order:
- ½ chicken/vegetable mixture
- ½ grated cheese
- ½ sauce
- remaining 4 softened tortillas
- rest of chicken/vegetable mixture
- rest of grated cheese
- rest of sauce
Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F until casserole is heated through and bubbly.
© 2006 Texas Cooking Online, Inc.