Green Chili Chicken Casserole
Inspired by a famous Texas casserole recipe from the King Ranch, one of the oldest contiguously running ranches in the Southwest.
The King Ranch of Texas
The King Ranch, located in South Texas, is one of the most famous and historic ranches in the United States. It was founded in 1853 by Richard King, a riverboat captain and entrepreneur, who purchased a Spanish land grant in Kenedy County. Over the years, the ranch grew to encompass 825,000 acres, making it one of the largest privately owned ranches in the world. It’s history and legacy, in fact, inspired the 1952 novel made movie in 1956, Giant, with Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean.
Feeding the hundreds of cowhands that would have worked at the ranch was no small task and the King Ranch was known for its good food and decent housing, which made it an attractive employment option. The famous King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Tex-Mex dish that would have been exactly the kind of fare that could have been prepared in large quantities to feed hungry ranch hands. While the casserole is believed to have originated in Texas, there is actually no official record of it being directly connected to the King Ranch itself and it is unclear how or why the casserole was given the ranch’s name.
While the exact origins of the dish remain undocumented, the casserole nevertheless became popular in Texas church cookbooks and community gatherings in the mid-20th Century and its association with the King Ranch, even if only in name, is generally accepted as historical fact.
My version of this casserole does not contain corn tortillas in the casserole itself. I prefer instead to serve flour tortillas on the side that the casserole can be scooped into. I also omit the Can-O-Dis approach to the popular version of this recipe that contains cream of mushroom and cream of chicken condensed soups, and doubt that the original recipe, if it indeed originated from the King Ranch, would have contained such ingredients.
Green Chili Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 boneless, skinned chicken breasts, cubed
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 4.5-oz can mild chopped green chilies (like, Old El Paso)
- 1 10-oz can Ro-Tel "Original" Tomatoes & Green Chilies
- 1 4- oz can of sliced black olives, drained
- 3/4 cup cream cheese
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp dried cilantro
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups each shredded sharp cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp "Southwest" seasoning (like, Emeril's, or see recipe below)
- dash Tabasco Sauce
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 8-10 grinds freshly cracked black pepper
- nonstick cooking spray (like, Pam)
- 3-4 green onions for garnish, chopped
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid, heat the olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering, then sauté the onion and green bell pepper until the onions begin to caramelize, 5-8 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté a minute more.
- Add the chicken to the onions and peppers. Add the cumin and cilantro. Sauté the chicken for about 3 minutes until it just just loses its pink color.
- Add the wine to the skillet and put on the lid. Allow the chicken to simmer in the vegetables and wine for 5 minutes.
- Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
- Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon to a large mixing bowl. Add just two tablespoons of any remaining liquid to the bowl and discard the rest.
- Add the cream cheese, chopped chilies, Ro-Tel, sliced black olives, the Southwest seasoning and dash of Tabasco and stir well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spray a casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, and fold in the chicken mixture. Top with the cheddar and Jack cheeses.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes or until the cheese is brown and bubbly.
- Garnish with the chopped green onions before serving alongside warm flour tortillas, sour cream and salsa.
Notes
- The Southwest Seasoning is Emeril Lagasse's recipe from his 1996 cookbook, Louisiana Real & Rustic and the recipe is recreated here if you prefer to make your own.
