This deliciously cheesy dish is a favorite to serve at potlucks, church suppers, or at home for a tasty and simple dinner. The origin of the name of this casserole is shrouded in a bit of mystery as the famous Texas ranch claims no relationship to the recipe.
The King Ranch covers four Texas counties and is as large as the entire state of Rhode Island. Covering 825,000 acres, the King Ranch is the largest ranch in the United States. Founded in 1853 by Captain Richard King, a steamboat pilot, it is still a working ranch today producing cattle and thoroughbred horses.
Though its creator may never be known, whoever named this dish certainly did both the the food and the historic ranch justice. This simple casserole delivers enough big flavor to live up to its famous namesake. King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a hearty meal that will leave everyone feeling satisfied and happy. Its cheesy and smooth consistency have many folks calling this casserole comfort food at its finest, or crowning it as comfort food royalty, if you will.
This dish is can be a hardy meal on its own, but it is also fantastic served with a fresh green salad topped with ranch dressing, of course. Some jalapeno- cheese cornbread is also a great addition the menu.
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. butter or margarine
- one small onion, chopped
- one small bell pepper, chopped
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
- 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of mushroom soup
- 1 can (10 3/4 oz.) cream of chicken soup
- 2 cans (10 oz.) mild Ro-tel or other diced tomatoes with chiles, drained
- 8 oz. package of shredded colby jack or mild cheddar cheese
- 13 corn tortillas, torn into bite size pieces
Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.
- First, saute the chopped bell pepper and onion in a large skillet. Saute until the vegetables are tender.
- Add the chicken to the sauteed vegetables. Pour in the cans of soup and drained cans of Ro-tel. Mix well. Warm over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
- While the soup mixture is warming up, spread a handful of the corn tortilla pieces in the bottom of a 2 quart casserole dish. Spread the tortilla pieces evenly across the bottom of the dish. Top the tortilla pieces with a handful of shredded cheese. Spread the cheese evenly over the top of the tortilla pieces.
- After the soup mixture has warmed up, top the layers of tortilla and cheese with some of the soup mixture. Then repeat the layers of tortilla pieces, cheese and soup mixture. Be sure to leave enough cheese for the top of the casserole. Layer until all ingredients, except the cheese, are used.
- Top casserole with remaining cheese and cover dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until liquid bubbles.
**For a healthier version of this classic dish, use low-fat cheese and lower sodium canned soups.
***This dish can be spicy, so be mindful when serving to children
 |
