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King Ranch Chicken is basically an enchilada casserole.  It has been a  very popular comfort food King Ranch Chickenkind of dish since about the 1960's.   Hence the canned soups in the recipe.  If you have a "thing" about canned soups,  too bad cause you are missing out. 

Nobody really knows where the name came from and the King Ranch people say they didn't invent it.   Well, who cares,  it's one of those yummy comfort food casseroles to make for your family and a great dish to take to a pot luck or church function or to someone who needs a little love.  You can make it spicy like the Tex-Mex dish it is or you can leave off or cut back on the hot ingredients to you and your family's taste.

King Ranch Chicken is  soft, slightly spicy, cheesy mixture of tomatoes, corn , tortillas, chicken, and peppers. It goes down easy and is the ultimate comfort food.

    1  onion, chopped
    2  tablespoons  vegetable oil
    2  cups or more chopped cooked chicken  (great use for leftover chicken or turkey)
    1  can kernel corn, drained
    1  can cream of chicken soup*
    1  can cream of mushroom soup*
    4 ounce can diced green chilies
    15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
    1  Tablespoon ancho chili powder
    1   teaspoon cumin
    1/4  teaspoon  salt
    1/4  teaspoon  garlic powder
    1/4  teaspoon  pepper
    1/8  teaspoon cayenne
    12 – 14 corn tortillas (six inch)
    2  cups  shredded cheddar cheese
    1  cup shredded pepper jack cheese
    1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Place oil in large skillet. Add onions and saute over medium heat until onions are lightly browned. Add chicken, cream soups, chilies, tomatoes, corn and all seasonings. Stir and cook over medium heat until bubbly.

Mix the two cheeses together with the chopped cilantro.  Toss around till well mixed.

Tear tortillas into small pieces. Place 1/3 of pieces in 9×13 inch dish. Top with 1/3 of chicken mixture and 1/3 of cheese mixture.   Repeat twice more so that you have three layers ending with the cheese mixture.  

Bake at 350 from 30  to 45 minutes, or until bubbly and browned around the edges.**

*Can use low fat soups and cheese.

**If you want to make this ahead, put it together and keep it in the refrigerator till the next day and then bake.  

If you have never made this before, trust me, your family will ask for it a lot.