This Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole Is A Bona Fide Boomer Meal That Will Honestly Never Get Old

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Often dismissed as a boomer relic, casseroles are coming back in a big way. In fact, many would argue they never left. Piping hot, bubbling with a hearty topping of cheese, and filled with pleasing ingredients, casseroles are perfect for feeding large quantities of people and are easy to customize. Take Jessica Morone's from-scratch King Ranch chicken recipe, for example. It's a complete meal in a single casserole dish, made with cooked shredded chicken, corn tortillas, Ro-Tel diced tomatoes, and plenty of cheese.

Despite the murky Texas origins of King Ranch chicken casserole, the boomer-beloved dish was a staple of 1950's dinners, given the rise in popularity of canned soups. There's some confusion about the name, as many incorrectly believe it was created by the owners of King Ranch in Kingsville, Texas; however, it has never claimed ownership of the dish. Seemingly, someone in Texas named it for the popular ranch because the name sounded catchy, and it took off from there, gracing cookbooks, church potlucks, and even First Lady, Ladybird Johnson's, personal collection of cherished recipes.

King Ranch chicken casserole is an easy shredded chicken recipe to whip up for dinner that will make the most of your mealtime. Using simple and accessible ingredients, it will be obvious from the first bite why it is a boomer favorite that transcends generations.

The original recipe for King Ranch chicken casserole calls for canned cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup, along with chicken broth, cooked shredded chicken, canned diced tomatoes with chilies, onions, bell peppers, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and corn tortillas. While modern iterations swap out the canned soup for a scratch-made filling, there's no denying that this streamlined version is a breeze to prepare. 

The process for assembling this boomer-style casserole involves layering the creamy sauce, corn tortillas, cheese, and cooked chicken and veggies until the dish is filled. Finish the top with as much cheese as you like and pop it in the oven to bake until bubbly and golden. The convenience of using pre-cooked chicken is what makes this dish so accessible. Just keep in mind that deboning a rotisserie chicken is easiest while it's still hot, and that you can store the shredded pieces for later use.

Make this boomer casserole your own by customizing the ingredients and adding your favorite flavors. Kick up the heat with hot sauce, spicy seasonings, Ro-Tel Hot tomatoes with habaneros, or even a ghost pepper variety. Serve the dish with tortilla chips for scooping, or with a side of rice or noodles for a heartier meal. Whether you go the canned ingredient route or roll up your sleeves to cook it from scratch, this will easily become a new favorite.