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King Ranch Breakfast Strata
A hearty breakfast strata brings the classic Tex-Mex flavors of a King Ranch casserole to your morning table. French bread cubes and corn tortillas soak up a rich egg custard layered with shredded chicken and melted pepper Jack cheese. A spiced mixture of tomatoes, green chiles, and bell peppers adds a bright, savory punch to every bite. Because the casserole needs to chill overnight, it is a perfect make-ahead option for a busy holiday morning or a relaxed weekend brunch. Just top it with a little extra milk and cheese before baking until golden and set.
Ingredients
- ½ (16-oz.) French bread loaf, cubed (about 4 cups)
- 8 (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas, cut into strips
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 10 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 2½ cups), divided
- 3 Tbsp. butter
- 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 celery stalk, chopped (about ½ cup)
- 1 (4-oz.) can diced green chiles, drained
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- ¾ tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- 10 large eggs
- 1 (10¾-oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 2½ cups milk, divided
Instructions
- 1Combine the bread cubes and tortilla strips, then spread them evenly in a lightly greased 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Scatter the shredded chicken and two cups of the pepper Jack cheese over the top.
- 2Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.
- 3Stir in the drained tomatoes, chopped onion, celery, green chiles, minced garlic, bell pepper, kosher salt, cumin, and dried oregano. Cook the mixture, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften, which takes about 5 to 8 minutes.
- 4Take the saucepan off the heat and let the vegetable mixture cool for 10 minutes.
- 5In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and one and a half cups of the milk until smooth. Pour this liquid evenly over the bread and chicken in the baking dish, then scatter the cooled vegetable mixture on top. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 to 24 hours.
- 6Remove the strata from the refrigerator. Pour the remaining one cup of milk over the top and sprinkle with the last half cup of cheese. Let the dish sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.
- 7Heat your oven to 325°F. Bake the strata until the center is completely set, which will take about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.