King Ranch Smoked Wild Turkey Casserole

Wherever this classic Southern dish originated, it has long been a potluck staple and is even better when you use wild turkey breast instead of chicken

By author of Timber 2 Table Wild Game Recipes Print Recipe
prep time
cook time
5-7
serves
Medium
difficulty

I’m not sure if King Ranch chicken casserole really originated on the King Ranch down in Texas or not, but I know the dish has been a staple of church potlucks and picnics all over the South for years. The recipe has been featured in church cookbooks, on television, and even in magazines like Southern Living. 

Using wild turkey in place of chicken gives the casserole a flavorful twist.

Our version changes up the original a bit with smoked wild turkey breast in place of the traditional chicken as the protein. 

We start the dish by seasoning one side of a wild turkey breast well with salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic powder.

Season the turkey breast and cook it on your Traeger grill.

Smoke at 225 degrees on your Traeger grill with the Supersmoke function turned on until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of about 145 to 150 degrees. Remove the turkey from the grill and allow it to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting it up into small cubes for the recipe.

Cut the smoked turkey breast into bite-size cubes.

The extra step on the grill gives the finished casserole a bit of smoky flavor, and the wild turkey is way tastier than chicken. 

Ingredients

1 side of a wild turkey breast, seasoned, smoked, rested, and cut into cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 chopped green bell pepper

1 chopped onion 

One 8-ounce block of cream cheese cut into pieces

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can Rotel diced tomato and green chilies

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

12 corn tortillas, torn into pieces

3 cups grated cheddar cheese

Cooking Instructions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté bell pepper and onion 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in smoked turkey and next 8 ingredients. Remove from heat.

Sauté the onions and peppers until soft.

Layer one-third of torn tortillas in bottom of a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish.

Layer torn tortilla pieces in the bottom of a casserole dish.

Top with one-third of turkey mixture and 2/3 cup of shredded cheese. Repeat layers twice or until pan is full. Top with remaining cheese. 

Layer the filling, cheese, and tortilla pieces until the pan is full.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

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