QUEEN RANCH CASSEROLE

Queen Ranch Casserole image

Categories Bread Sandwich Chicken Bake Lunch Raw

Yield makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

3 large whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth, or 2 cups homemade chicken broth (page 200)
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 (10-ounce) can Rotel tomatoes or diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 (8-ounce) can diced green chiles
6 corn tortillas, cut into bite-size pieces
4 ounces light Velveeta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 cup)
Garlic salt

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Coat the chicken breasts with the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken cool. When it is cool enough to handle, dice it and set aside.
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the cooked chicken. In a small bowl, whisk together the broth and cornstarch until smooth. Add the cornstarch mixture to the chicken mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chiles and cook until thickened, about 6 minutes.
In the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish, layer the tortilla pieces, cheese cubes, and chicken mixture, sprinkling each layer with garlic salt to taste. Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling around the edges.
notes
Great for freezing! See our Freezer Tips on pages 23-27.
The Queens are far from being food snobs. Heck, we love us some Velveeta cheese! We can't help it; it's in our blood. Don't believe us? Well, here's proof: When growing up, Sandy's mom worked as the postmaster for the post office in Hargill, Texas. (She just recently retired after forty-four years of service!) Her office was two blocks from their house. Every single day at 12:04 p.m., she would run in the door of home and demand that the TV be turned to whatever channel the soap opera All My Children was on. She then proceeded to prepare her lunch, which was a sandwich made with brown bread, mayo, sliced raw onion, and lots of Velveeta cheese. She ate this every single day. (Seriously!)