King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This Tex-Mex dish is practically a staple in Texas. It's named for the famous King Ranch in south Texas- the largest ranch in the United States, and one of the largest ranches in the entire world. 

Although the recipe probably did not originate at the ranch itself, its name will make perfect sense when you take your first bite. This delicious, creamy concoction of cheese, chicken, green chilies, and tortillas earns its big name with its flavors and heartiness. 

King Ranch Chicken probably originated sometime in the 1940s or 1950s. The use of the cream soups is a part of the original recipe; you can find more recent recipes that use a flour and butter roux to approximate the thick, creamy texture of the original.

There are many, many variations on this classic recipe, but here is my favorite:

King Ranch Chicken Casserole  Print

3 cups shredded or diced chicken
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of chicken soup
1 can (10.75 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
1 can (10 oz.) Rotel tomatoes (I use original; you can use "mild" for the flavor without heat)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 small onion, diced
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chiles
12 corn tortillas (more or less as needed), torn into fourths (some folks cut into strips; just get them into large pieces)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 13 X 9 casserole dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients and mix well. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture evenly in the bottom of the casserole dish.

3. Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of tortillas. Pour half of the soup mixture onto the tortillas, spreading carefully and evenly. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese.

4. Repeat the tortilla layer and the soup layer. Sprinkle with the Mexican blend cheese.

5. Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until browned and bubbling.

6. Let casserole sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

We had ours with a side of steamed zucchini

Add a sprinkle of cilantro

King Ranch Chicken may have been taken to some of these fun parties!

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