King Ranch Chicken Casserole with Corn Tortillas

Ingredients

• 3 cups pulled cooked chicken (510 g)
• 12 corn tortillas, torn (300 g)
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced (160 g)
• 1 green bell pepper, diced (160 g)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (28 g)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g)
• 2 cups lower-sodium chicken stock (480 g)
• 1 can diced tomatoes with chiles, drained (283 g)
• 1 cup sour cream (240 g)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups pulled cheddar, divided (226 g)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions

1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-by-13-inch dish. Melt butter in a wide saucepan and cook onion and bell pepper over medium heat for 6 minutes, until softened but not browned..
2. Thicken the sauce. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 minute. Add stock gradually, scraping the pan smooth. Simmer until the sauce coats the vegetables and a spatula path stays open for 2 seconds..
3. Finish the filling. Whisk sour cream, drained tomatoes, 113 g cheddar, and salt into the sauce. Fold in the chicken. The mixture should be creamy but not runny; a spoonful placed on a plate should spread.
4. Build three layers. Cover the dish bottom with one-third of the torn tortillas, overlapping gaps without making thick stacks. Spread one-third of the chicken filling to every corner. Repeat twice. Press only stray tortilla points under.
5. Top and bake. Scatter the remaining cheddar unevenly across the surface. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue for 10 to 15 minutes, until the edges bubble and the cheese has golden.
6. Rest before cutting. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes within the cook time. Use a thin spatula to cut 8 portions and lift straight down through every tortilla layer. The pause lets the sauce settle.

Notes

• Use the visual texture cues in the instructions instead of relying on the timer alone for every stage.
• Refrigerate leftovers for 4 days, and freeze only the suitable components for up to 2 months.
• Measure wet additions carefully because extra liquid changes how the finished filling, sauce, or coating holds.

Nutrition Facts