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Cowboy Chicken Casserole

Emeril Lagasse

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse,

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: Casseroles for Every Occasion

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (81)

  • Cook Time:

    1 hr 20 min

  • Level:

    Intermediate

  • Yield:

    8 to 10 servings

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Times:

Prep
30 min
Inactive Prep
50 min
Cook
1 hr 20 min
Total:
2 hr 40 min
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Ingredients

  • 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 pound white button mushrooms, wiped clean and stems trimmed, quartered
  • Pinch freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 12 cups tortilla chips
  • 2 cups finely chopped onions
  • 1 cup finely chopped bell peppers
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped, optional
  • 8 ounces grated Pepper Jack
  • 8 ounces grated Cheddar
  • 1 tablespoon Emeril's Southwest Seasoning, recipe follows
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup chopped drained canned tomatoes
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained

Directions

Combine the chicken, chicken stock, wine, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, peppercorns, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the oregano, and bay leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the chicken to cool in the poaching liquid for 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the cooking liquid and tear or cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve the chicken. Strain the cooking liquid and reserve.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over high heat until foamy. Add the mushrooms, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are golden brown and all the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the flour, stir to blend, and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk and stir, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the mixture begins to thicken. Add 1 1/2 cups of the reserved chicken cooking liquid, stir, and cook until very thick and flavorful, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Place the tortilla chips in the bottom of a 9 by 13-inch glass casserole. Crush the chips with your hands so they form a thin layer on the bottom of the dish. Pour 1 cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the tortilla chips and allow them to soak up the liquid. Scatter the chicken over the top of the tortilla layer. Spread the chopped onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos evenly over the chicken. Top with half of the grated cheeses. Sprinkle with the Southwest Seasoning, chili powder and ground cumin. Spoon the reserved mushroom mixture evenly over the top of the spices, then top with the tomatoes and green chiles. Cover with the remainder of the cheeses. Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the casserole is heated through. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Tip: This casserole may be prepared in advance and frozen until ready to use. Simply allow it to thaw 1 day in the refrigerator and come to room temperature before baking.

Emeril's Southwest Seasoning:

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons paprika

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 1/2 cup

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Read more Comments & Reviews (81)

Comments & Reviews

  • recipe Cowboy Chicken Casserole
    Mariza atwater, CA 01-31-2010

    Flag

    The rub is awesome!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    This is the second time making the casserole, but I use the rub all the time. I suggest using Fritos instead of tortilla... chips. ALSO...make sure you have plenty of time to enjoy making this dish....this is not a recipe to rush...and well worth the wait. Thank you Emeril! MarizaRead more
  • recipe Cowboy Chicken Casserole
    Elaine Annandale, VA 01-04-2010

    Flag

    Ate one and froze one...

    Rated: 4 stars out of 5
    I used 1/2 of a turkey breast leftover from a previous dinner. I added the juice of 1 lime and a handful of chopped cilantro... to the cubed meat. I also sauteed the onions and peppers. I used Chili 9000 spice from Penzey's instead of making the Southwest Seasoning. For a family of four, I made two in 9" square baking pans, and froze one for later. There were NO leftovers. Quite tasty and easy to "simplify" the recipe. I bet a rotisserie chicken would work well too.Read more
  • recipe Cowboy Chicken Casserole
    Jessica Corning, NY 12-27-2009

    Flag

    Tastes better than it looks

    Rated: 4 stars out of 5
    ...exactly the headline...as I was making this I was thinking what am I spending all this time for...how are these steps all... going to taste good in the end...and surprisingly it does. My husband said - what is that? and I said just try it...he liked it and we both commented on how Emeril would create something that does not look 'pretty' when scooped out of the dish. We had a laugh. Makes good leftovers for lunch the next day too. Read more
  • recipe Cowboy Chicken Casserole
    julie alameda, CA 12-26-2009

    Flag

    Better than expected!

    Rated: 4 stars out of 5
    We had some leftover turkey so I used that instead of the chicken. Instead of the reserved chicken liquid, I used chicken... broth. I added chopped black olives. I also cooked the bell peppers, jalepenos and half the yellow onion like some other reviewers did. It turned out better than expected. My husband was pleasantly surprised and we both went back for seconds. We also added some sour cream and taco sauce to our plates and it was delicious! I also made the Southwest seasoning and used it in the dish. The dish did not taste to me like it was missing something like some other reviewers have said. Maybe it was the southwest seasoning or the olives... but it was delish. It does take a little bit of prep time to put it together even without poaching the chicken. Next time I would prep earlier in the day of possible so I can just pop it in the oven.Read more
  • recipe Cowboy Chicken Casserole
    Kitty Winnetka, IL 12-01-2009

    Flag

    Great Recipe - a lot of work!

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    Loved this recipte BUT it is a lot of work. It's kind of like a Mexican lasagna...great but when you are done you have a... kitchen full of dishes!Read more
  • recipe Cowboy Chicken Casserole
    Trisha Denver, CO 11-21-2009

    Flag

    My husband and I loved this

    Rated: 5 stars out of 5
    Followed the recipe with one exception. I used a bag of mixed shredded cheddar/jack. Personally, I did not think it took a... ton of time. I mean, you prep all the other stuff while the chicken is poaching. You start the mushrooms about 10 mins before the chicken is done. I mixed the onions and peppers together in a bowl and the tomatoes and chilis in another bowl. Layer it all togethe. Clean while it cooks. It is so worth it. The southwest seasoning is a must!! Thank you.Read more
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