Hello to one and all! How is everyone doing? Are all the kids back in school yet? For the first time in many, many, many years I am not buying notebooks and pencils and folders. It feels weird. Alex (son, the younger) and I went clothes shopping a couple of weeks ago and as we passed the back-to-school section I mentioned to him that we don’t have to buy any of that stuff this year. It was a bit sad, but also, it was incredibly happy. Most of my readers might not realize but law school students still need notebooks and such. Now that Alex has graduated and is finished with his bar exam, he doesn’t have to think about homework and classes. I’m not sure that he knows what to do with himself in the evenings. He has started his new job as a Public Defender in Missouri. Last week was his first official week. He has a bit of a commute and I know how crappy that can be. So, I tried to load him up with leftovers and heat-and-eat foods for his suppers. He loves to cook but the new schedule will take some time to get used to and I wanted to help out as much as I could. I made one of his all-time favorite dishes and then sent the entire thing back with him. He can get several meals out of it and even freeze some if he chooses. I told him on Saturday that I would be sending an entire Doritos Chicken Casserole back with him. His response was, “YES!”, so I think he approved of the idea.
This is such an easy recipe. It is a great starter dish for those who have just begun to spread their culinary wings. The ingredients are an unusual mix but come together to make a delicious and decadent casserole. Fair warning, this is not a healthy dish, at all. But, life isn’t all about only eating healthy foods. Sometimes you gotta live a little and eat what makes you happy. And, Doritos make Alex happy. Heck, Doritos make most people happy. What’s not to like? They have a nice substantial crunch, ultra-cheesy flavor and they make your fingers orange. Any chip that causes you to lick your fingers like a 6-year-old has to be good, right? As a part of this casserole, the Doritos add a wonderful texture and cheesy flavor. The mixture of soups and Rotel creates a nice creamy sauce for the rotisserie chicken to wallow in. Then top it all off with shredded cheese that gets all melty and bubbly and browned in the oven and you will be saying, “mmmmmmmmm…..mmmm…..mmmm”.
For this dish you will need a rotisserie chicken (or you can boil or bake a chicken yourself) that yields about 4 cups when removed from the bones and shredded. A party-sized bag of Doritos. You will have a few chips left. Darn, right? You will also need a can of cream of mushroom soup and a can of cream of chicken soup. I always use the healthier versions of these soups that have less fat and/or sodium. Believe me, there is enough salt in this dish without any extra in the soups. You need a can of the original Rotel and some shredded cheddar cheese. I used sharp white cheddar and a smaller amount of yellow cheddar this time, but I have also used the Mexican blend of pre-shredded cheese before. You will use taco seasoning as well. I used my own blend of spices this time but if you want to use the packaged variety, feel free. Just make sure to only use the amount required and not the whole envelope.
Don’t you just love the hula girl towel? I have a thing for Hawaiian decor and for pin-up art (I know, weird) so I just adore this towel.
To start off, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 X 13 glass or metal baking dish with cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the bones and shred into bite-sized pieces.
In a large bowl, mix the chicken, 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning (any kind you prefer), 1 regular size can of cream of chicken soup, 1 regular size can of cream of mushroom soup and 1 can of original Rotel. Mix well and set this aside for the moment.
Crush the Doritos, or whatever type of tortilla chip that you choose, into bite-sized pieces. You should use about 4 cups of crushed chips for this layer. I have made this with blue corn tortilla chips and it was also delicious. If you are not a fan of Doritos, you could certainly go that route. Spread the 4 cups of crushed chips into the prepared baking dish as evenly as possible.
Pour the chicken/soup/Rotel mixture over the top of the chips and spread until all of the chips are covered.
Cover this layer with another 2 cups of crushed tortilla chips. You will still be able to see the chicken mixture through the chips.
Cover all of this with 2 – 3 cups of shredded cheese. I used 2 cups of white cheddar and 1 cup of yellow cheddar. You can use whatever type and combination that floats your boat.
Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
Scoop out generous portions and watch the smiles appear!
Please excuse the kind of crappy photography this week. Cloudy days do not enhance food photos. My colors look a bit off. Sad.
Doritos Chicken Casserole
Doritos add a wonderful texture and cheesy flavor to this casserole. The mixture of soups and Rotel creates a nice creamy sauce for the rotisserie chicken and the bubbly melted cheese tops it off splendidly.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning
- 1 can cream of chicken soup (regular size)
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (regular size)
- 1 can original Rotel (regular size)
- 2 - 3 cups shredded cheese (cheddar works well)
- 1 party-size bag of Doritos chips (or any other tortilla chips)
- Cooking spray for pan preparation
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 X 13 glass or metal baking dish with cooking spray.
- Step 2 Remove the chicken from the bone and shred into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 3 In a large bowl, mix the chicken, 2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning (any kind you prefer), the cream of chicken soup, the cream of mushroom soup and the Rotel. Set this aside.
- Step 4 Crush the chips into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 5 Spread 4 cups of crushed chips into the prepared baking dish as evenly as possible.
- Step 6 Pour the chicken/soup/Rotel mixture over the top of the chips and spread until all of the chips are covered.
- Step 7 Cover this layer with another 2 cups of crushed tortilla chips.
- Step 8 Cover all of this with 2 – 3 cups of shredded cheese.
- Step 9 Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Step 10 Remove the foil and broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned.
- Step 11 Scoop and serve.
