King Ranch Chicken – a transformative dish

Ingredients:

• 1 baked whole chicken (grilled chicken is fine!), cooled and shredded
• Butter to grease the pan
• 1 can (280 g) of canned cream of chicken soup
• 1 can (280 g) canned cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can (280 g) chopped tomatoes with chili peppers
• 2 tbsp. chili powder
• 0.5 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 16 corn tortillas, torn into pieces
• 1 large white or yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, finely diced
• 1.5 cups grated sharp cheddar
• 1.5 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease a 22 x 32 cm baking pan with butter.
2. Mix the soups with tomatoes. You'll get a strange mixture that might scare you off. But don't worry, keep cooking. You won't regret it! Add chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, and chicken broth to the mixture. Then stir everything together. Don't be afraid!
3. Line the bottom of a baking dish with half the torn tortillas. Top with a layer of half the chicken pieces. Add half the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño. Sprinkle with half the cheese and pour half of that crazy soup mixture over it. Then repeat the layers, starting with the remaining tortillas and finishing with you-know-what.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and bake until bubbly, another 15 minutes. Just look at the result! Serve with a salad and enjoy.

5. Tips for Preparing for Future Use

   
   If making ahead, cover the pan with foil before baking and freeze. Then, remove the frozen casserole from the pan, wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap, and freeze until ready to use. When ready to bake, remove the wrap, return the casserole to a 22 x 32 cm baking pan, and defrost. Bake at 175°C (350°F) following the step-by-step recipe instructions.
   
   
   Give this recipe a makeover! Transform this casserole into more traditional enchiladas. Place vegetables and chicken on corn tortillas, roll them into tubes, pour sauce over them, and top with grated cheese. Make lasagna, too! Use cooked lasagna noodles instead of corn tortillas.