Hailing from an era when casseroles were king, this Tex-Mex addition reigns supreme as the staple dish for church suppers and neighborhood potlucks. Though not an invention of the famed King Ranch—it's more likely the invention of a lady's Junior League—the spicy flavors of chili powder, roasted peppers and cumin never fail to please.

Makes 12 servings

Ingredients


  • Vegetable cooking spray
  • 6 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 cup chopped poblano peppers (about 2 medium peppers)
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 2 pounds Smoked Chicken (see separate recipe), coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 cups shredded, sharp cheddar cheese
  • 18 (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • Garnish: chopped, fresh cilantro

    Directions

    Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

    Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and next 3 ingredients; sauté 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender and lightly browned. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute.

    Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. Add tomatoes and sour cream.

    Stir together chicken and cilantro; stir in vegetable mixture until blended.

    Combine cheeses in a small bowl.

    Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Lightly brush each tortilla on both sides with oil. Cook tortillas, in batches, in hot skillet until lightly browned and crisp on both sides.

    Line bottom of prepared baking dish with 6 tortillas, overlapping slightly, to cover bottom of dish. Top with 1/2 of chicken mixture and 1/3 of cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining tortillas and cheese. Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray, and cover baking dish.

    Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned on top. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

    Excerpted from United Tastes of Texas: Authentic Recipes from All Corners of the Lone Star State, by Jessica Dupuy. Copyright © 2016 Time Inc. Books. Reprinted with permission from Oxmoor House, an imprint of Time Inc. Books. All rights reserved.
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