King Ranch Chicken

No, I did not take this photo.  Mine came out, well let's just say unappetizing.

And that would not have done this dish justice.  It's been around for as long as I can remember and for good reason.  When I think Tex-Mex, this comes front and center in my mind.  It has it all: tortillas, chicken, chilies, cheese.  And it is so simple.

Legend has it that the dish is named after the fabled King Ranch in South Texas, at one time the largest ranch in the US and one of the largest in the world at over 800,000 acres.  So while I have no idea where the recipe originated, it seems fitting to name it after the Ranch sitting just north of the border.

There are lots of recipes but they are all very similar.  Mine came from Central Market in San Antonio.  It's a meal in itself (and make great leftovers for breakfast), but I usually serve it with a green salad.

Also, this is a big recipe so I always cut it in half, make it in an 8x8 dish, and use one can of Campbell's Cream of Chicken and Mushroom soup (and half everything else).

KING RANCH CHICKEN (12 servings)

1 rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken (in half a recipe, I used the white breast meat off of one cooked whole chicken)
10-12 corn tortillas
1 cup chopped onion
1/2  cup chopped green pepper
1/2 lb grated cheddar
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
small amount of chicken broth

Line bottom of 13x9" baking dish (sprayed with cooking spray) with tortillas wilted in hot chicken broth.  Add in the following order:

chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or shredded
onion
green pepper
grated cheese
chili powder
soup(s)
Rotel tomatoes

Bake at 375F for 45 minutes.  Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Source:  Central Market, San Antonio, TX