King Ranch Chicken--Southern Style

I am so disappointed! I had my dates wrong for one of my book clubs. We usually meet on the 4th Thursday of the month, but this time we are meeting on the last Thursday which is next week! I was already to see my friends and discuss books tomorrow!! Now I have to wait another week.

I hate when that happens.
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I just read a book. Imagine that, me, reading a book!
It was just a cute little southern book called "Suck in Your Stomach and Put Some Color on!" by Shellie Rushing Tomilson. It was a fun read. It made me smile and laugh out loud at some things.


All that southernness intrigues me. Maybe because I'm from the Northwest originally, and now the "Great Basin" of Nevada, but we don't identify with our regions as the southerners do. Songs are not written about us, books are not categorized around us, meals are not memorialized in regards to us.


So, to have such admiration and pride in a region fascinates me.
And I like reading about it.

It was a great little read, full of essays and quotes and antidotes as well as recipes. On that caught my eye was "King Ranch Chicken", so I made it.
King Ranch Chicken Casserole is nothing new, but I had never had it before. It was full of all good things, cheese, chicken, mushroom soup, tortilla chips. You put all those things together and it cant' be bad, can it?


Homesick Texan says this about Casseroles:
Casseroles are an ancient dish, found all over the world. Yet for some reason, whenever I hear the word, I don’t think of France (the origin of the name), I think of church suppers, potlucks and home.


Me too! Church Suppers and Potlucks!
We used to eat a lot of casseroles when I was growing up in the 1960's and 70's, but I think, casseroles. for the most part, have kind of gone by the wayside. While they are an easy dish (throw everything in one pan and bake) they are not healthy at all.

 My husband, the Handyman, loved this casserole tho, so I might have to make it again. In the fall....when we are getting ready to put on our extra five-pound "winter coat".


A cute read and a good meal!

King Ranch Chicken

(adapted from "Suck in Your Stomach and Put Some Color on" )

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups shredded cheese
1 package Doritos

2-4 chicken breast shredded

Combine soups, Rotel and the chicken broth in a bowl. Boil or sauté chicken breast (I used a deli-rotisserie chicken and just shredded it ) until done and put half the chicken in a casserole dish (any size depending on how much you want.) pour soup mixture on top, add crushed Doritos. Repeat steps until mixture and chicken are gone. Sprinkle cheese on top of casserole.

Bake uncovered on 350°F for 45 minutes. Let cool and thicken for 10 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and enjoy.

Ingredients may be doubled for larger groups and the hot Rotel may be used for a little spice.

Serve with a green salad and you're good to go.