Last updated on December 4th, 2020 at 09:12 am

If you don’t know what Rotel is, you’re not alone. Here, you’ll learn what Rotel is and how it can make your weeknight meals something to look forward to. 

Rotel Chicken was a recipe my mother made for me for every birthday—it’s a simple dish that got me hooked on the flavor/texture combination of Cheddar cheese and onions. And tortilla chips. And chicken. What I didn’t know was why it was called Rotel Chicken.

Turns out that the Rotel in Rotel Chicken is a can of tomatoes, but not just any tomatoes. Rotel is a blend of vine-ripened tomatoes and green chilies—an original Texas family recipe that’s easy to take for granted. The zesty green chilies can add an unexpected kick to soups and casseroles, but it can do so much for so many dishes. Mixed with ground beef, the green chilies and diced tomatoes can elevate your traditional chili recipe while soups can get an extra boost of veggies to enrich broth. It can even elevate your traditional tomato sauce.

These tomatoes were part of a small family operation in a tiny town in Texas near the Mexican border in the mid-twentieth century. Originally, they were only shipped as far as Oklahoma, but business blew up in the 1950s when the wife of a politician declared that it was the secret to her homemade chili.

These tomatoes have come a long way since the ’50s and production expanded. Now, of course, if these tomatoes aren’t spicy enough for you, there are other versions available that you can use to spice up your meals. One version 86ed the chilies and added lime juice and cilantro. Another version leaves out the salt while other versions incorporate chipotle peppers and extra-spicy habanero peppers. They make it really easy to make homemade guacamole—just mash up the avocado, add some lemon juice, maybe some fresh onions and cilantro and you’re done. It can also be used to punch up salsa.

What these mild diced tomatoes and green chilies are really known for is Rotel dip. My mom used to make that one, too. The dip recipe basically chili con queso (delicious) and it involves dumping cubes of Velveeta into a slow cooker topped with green chiles and tomatoes and cooked until the cheese is melted. Some people might find it unnecessary, but the vine-ripened tomatoes, zesty green chilies and spices give you a break from the richness of the cheese. While it might not be authentic chili con queso, it’s a pretty good homage to the iconic dip.

As for the Rotel Chicken, I think it was a recipe my mom got from the back of a can many years ago. However, I tried this recipe which is pretty close to that original recipe. Not only is it tasty, but it’s so easy to make that it’s hard to find an excuse not to make it every week.

Picture this: cooked chicken (to make this super easy, use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store), mixed with cream of chicken soup, diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese (no Velveeta here!), and the Rotel tomatoes and chili peppers. It’s then layered in a casserole dish with tortilla chips and baked. If you’ve been looking for a chicken casserole recipe, this one defo banishes the bland for a one-dish meal good enough for a birthday party.