King Ranch Chicken Bake

You have got to try my king ranch chicken bake. Think "Mexican lasagna" meets chicken a la king, and you get the idea behind this Texan classic. My kids cannot get enough of this chicken bake.



6 SERVINGS

SAUCE
6 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
6 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
½ cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

FILLING
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 onion, halved and sliced
2-4 fresh or canned green chiles, seeded (optional) and sliced
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
4 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Oil, for frying (optional)
18 corn tortillas
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated
½ cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives

PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with oil.
2. First, prepare the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat Saute the garlic and chili powder in the butter until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour until you a have a smooth paste. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the broth, then the milk, stirring until the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
3. To make the filling, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the bell peppers, onion, chiles, and mushrooms in the oil until the mushrooms give up their juice, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chicken and tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
4. Heat a ½ inch of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Holding the tortillas with tongs, dip them one by one into the oil just long enough to soften, 10 to 15 seconds. Drain on paper towels. (This step is optional, but it improves the flavor and texture of the finished dish — because everything is better fried.)
5. To assemble the casserole, arrange six tortillas in the prepared baking dish, Cover with half the chicken mixture, one-third of the sauce, and one-third of the cheese. Scatter half the olives over the cheese. Repeat the layer with tortillas, chicken, sauce, cheese, and olives. Finish with six more tortillas, the remaining sauce, and the remaining cheese.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until browned and bubbly. Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

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