King Ranch Chicken Casserole is the ultimate cowboy comfort food with a cheesy, creamy and flavorful filling that has become a staple in kitchens across Texas and beyond.
This is a classic Tex-Mex casserole with layers of tortillas, creamy chicken filling and cheese that is deliciously gooey and bursting with flavor. The recipe combines simple ingredients like sour cream, cream of mushroom soup and chicken with the vibrant flavors of Ro-tel tomatoes, green chiles and chili powder to create truly outstanding casserole.
This is a dish that's perfect for busy weeknights, church suppers, and everything in between. Let's dive into what makes King Ranch Chicken a family favorite and how you can make this easy dinner recipe tonight.
This recipe was inspired by my other comfort food recipes for a Homemade Patty Melt, The Ultimate Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Homemade Gnocchi with Short Rib Ragu and Chicken Pot Pie with Morel Mushrooms.
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Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- Butter
- Onion
- Red bell pepper
- Poblano pepper
- Jalapeño peppers
- Garlic cloves
- Condensed cream of chicken soup
- Condensed cream of mushroom soup
- Chicken broth
- Canned Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles (aka Rotel tomatoes)
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Sour cream
- Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken
- Fresh cilantro
- Canola oil
- Corn tortillas
- Cheddar cheese
- Monterey Jack cheese
See recipe card for quantities. While chicken breasts cut into strips work well, rotisserie chicken makes this recipe incredibly convenient, providing juicy chicken without the extra cooking time.
Instructions
Start by sautéing the green bell pepper, red pepper, and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat until tender. This builds the foundation of flavor.
Roast the poblano peppers until charred. Then allow to cool in a paper bag for 10 minutes. Remove skin under running water, then remove stem and seeds and dice into ¼" pieces. In a large saucepan, combine the soups, Ro-tel tomatoes, chili powder, and chicken broth to create the creamy sauce.
Mix chicken and vegetables in a large bowl. Next, add the Ro-tel tomatoes and green chiles. These add a little kick and some Tex-Mex depth to the dish.
In a large prepared casserole dish, add a layer of tortillas, then a layer of the chicken mixture, followed by a layer of soup mixture and then cheese. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake until bubbly.
For a golden top, remove the foil in the last few minutes of baking.
Variations
This versatile recipe that can be adapted to include ingredients like black beans, sliced black olives and scallions. It's truly one of those "clean out the fridge" type dishes.
Storage
Wrap the casserole dish in two layers of plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Alternatively, store leftover King Ranch Chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This is one of those dishes that is actually better the next day.
Final Thoughts
King Ranch Chicken Casserole embodies the spirit of South Texas and the comfort of home cooking. It underscores the power of creating something delicious and comforting with simple ingredients. The next time you're in need of an easy, cheesy, and satisfying meal, remember this King Ranch Chicken recipe.
Other Great Comfort Food Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
📖 Recipe
King Ranch Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9-by-13 inch baking dish
- 1 cast iron skillet or frying pan
- 1 cheese grater
Ingredients
- vegetable cooking spray such as PAM
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup onion chopped
- ½ cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 medium poblano pepper stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 10.5 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 10 ounce can Ro-Tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper freshly ground
- 1 cup sour cream
- 6 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts cooked and cut into strips
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 12 6 inch corn tortillas
- 2 cups cheddar cheese grated
- 1 cup jack cheese grated
- ¼ cup cilantro chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Cook chicken via sous-vide.
- Preheat oven to 375℉. Lightly grease a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, poblano and jalapeño and saute 8-10 minutes until tender and lightly brown. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the cream of chicken soup, the cream of mushroom soup, the chicken broth and the Ro-tel Tomatoes and Green Chiles. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the sour cream and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, Stir together the chicken and half of the cilantro. Add to the vegetable mixture and stir until blended. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over high heat. Lightly brush each tortilla on both sides with vegetable oil. Cook the tortillas, in batches, in hot skillet until lightly browned and crisp (about 30 seconds per side). Drain on paper towels.
- Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 6 tortillas, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with half the chicken mixture.
- Grate both together into a medium bowl and mix to combine. Top tortillas and chicken mixture with one third of the grated cheeses. Top with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture and cheese.
- Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover baking dish. Bake at 375℉, for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes or until mixture is heated through and cheese is bubbly.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving and top with chopped cilantro.
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