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King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This Texas-born legend is packed with layers of tender chicken, tortillas, and cheese swimming in a creamy, slightly spicy sauce that'll have everyone coming back for thirds. It's like a Mexican lasagna that's become a potluck favorite across the country for good reason. Fair warning: your family might ask for this weekly!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 1 bell pepper red or green, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 can 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 can 10 oz Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 12 corn tortillas cut into strips
  • 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
  2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  3. In a large bowl, combine both cream soups, Rotel tomatoes, sour cream, chili powder, and cumin. Stir in the sautéed vegetables.
  4. Layer half of the tortilla strips in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  5. Top with half the chicken, half the soup mixture, and 1½ cups of cheddar cheese.
  6. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, chicken, soup mixture, and top with remaining cheddar and all of the Monterey Jack cheese.
  7. Bake uncovered for 40-45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is golden. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.