Cooking With Ease: King Ranch Casserole

Rockwall, TX (September 28, 2023) – At this point, I think we can safely say the 100-degree days are behind us. For me, this means casseroles, soups, stews, chili, cornbread, cobblers, and all the other fall things.

Growing up, my mom made this casserole almost weekly. It was one of her go-to meals. It’s easy, filling, and calls for mostly staple ingredients. I always thought she just cooked on a whim, but now, as an adult looking back, I can see that she had a plan. One week we would have nachos, and she would buy an extra can of Rotel and the family-size bag of tortilla chips. The next week, King Ranch Casserole, which called for that can of Rotel and a few handfuls of tortilla chips, just what was left in the bag. It’s funny to think how as kids, we just assume our parents are floating through life. No cares, no worries, no planning. And boy, is that wrong!

I have always been thankful for the effort, time, talent, and energy my mom put into family meals. Some of my greatest memories are associated with those meals. And I know, without a doubt, I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing today without that on-the-job training I received in the kitchen.

My hope for you this fall is that you enjoy some cozy meals with some of your chosen people. Whether they cook or you do. Here is a super easy recipe to have in your back pocket. I always eat my King Ranch Casserole with sour cream and salsa. My dad added pickled jalapenos. And pro tip, stale tortilla chips work perfectly in this casserole.

King Ranch Casserole

Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken*

2 cups white rice, cooked as directed

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can Rotel, I use mild and do not drain it

2 cups tortilla chips, crushed*

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded*

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

*You can use as little or as much of these ingredients as you would like. These are suggested amounts.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook rice as directed and set aside. Pull the chicken off the bone of the rotisserie, shred it into bite-size pieces, and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine, rice, chicken, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, Rotel, crushed chips, and shredded cheese. Add seasonings and stir well.

Place mixture in a 9×13 casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy with toppings of your choice. This casserole makes for a great leftover meal. You can also bake half the mixture in an 8×8 pan and freeze the other half in an 8×8 pan for later. From frozen, thaw and bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

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