This easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a Tex-Mex classic and a crowd-pleasing favorite, ready for any occasion!
Tender shredded chicken in a flavorful creamy sauce is layered with tortillas and plenty of melty cheese in this simple casserole, and it’s ready to eat in under an hour.
This is the BEST King Ranch Chicken Casserole! It’s very simple to make, using real ingredients (NO cream soup!) and packed with so much flavor from poblano peppers, savory spices, and tangy tomatoes.
If you’ve never tried King Ranch Chicken, you’ll be seriously thrilled with this cheesy, creamy, spicy and and hearty meal. You can put it together in just a few minutes, and then the only thing you need to do is wait for it to bake up melty and gooey in the oven.
Love easy casserole recipes? Me too! Try my Million Dollar Chicken Casserole if you’re looking for something with big flavor but less spice. Beef Enchilada Casserole is another Tex-Mex favorite too.
The Best King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- No Cream of Chicken Soup! Sometimes it makes sense to use a can of cream soup to make a casserole, but in this case, it is completely unnecessary! My homemade cream sauce is just as easy to make, using real ingredients, and it tastes even better.
- Perfect for Sharing. This comfort food casserole is a staple at Texas pot lucks because it’s hearty, satisfying, and easy to travel with.
- Simple Ingredients. Pick up a few peppers and a package of tortillas on your next shopping trip, and this whole chicken tortilla casserole recipe can be made with standard Tex-Mex pantry ingredients with very little fuss.
Key Ingredients King Ranch Casserole
Here’s what you need to make this amazingly flavorful and simple meal:
- Chicken: For this casserole, I’m starting with pre-cooked and shredded chicken. The easiest way to get this is to buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, but you can also poach a couple of chicken breasts, or use leftover chicken in this recipe.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas add structure to the casserole and help to create layers. Any size tortillas can be used, although you may need to cut them if they are larger than your casserole dish.
- Peppers: The savory and slightly spicy flavor of this dish comes from three types of fresh peppers. Bell pepper for sweetness, and jalapeno and poblano for spice!
- Rotel: Rotel is a name brand for canned diced tomatoes with green chiles. Those chiles add even more big flavor, but if you prefer something milder, plain diced tomatoes can also be used.
- For the Sauce: There is no canned soup in my king ranch casserole recipe! Instead, we’ll build a sauce with the peppers, Rotel, onion, garlic, butter, flour, broth and sour cream. It’s so delicious, and a thousand times better than anything you’ll get from a can!
- Cheese: Two cups of shredded cheese make this casserole perfectly ooey-gooey! Cheddar or Monterey Jack both work equally well.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make The Best King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Saute the Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, and jalapeno. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Once the veggies are cooked, stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder.
- Add the Flour: This is what will thicken the sauce later. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, then stir it in and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add Broth: Gradually stir in the chicken stock, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Then, add the cooked shredded chicken and diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Start Layering: To a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of the chicken sauce, then top with 6 corn tortillas. The tortillas should overlap and it’s ok that there are gaps on the edges.
- Keep Layering: Spread half of the remaining chicken filling over the tortillas, then top with half of the shredded cheddar cheese.
- Repeat! Repeat the layers again (tortillas, chicken, and cheese) to use up all of the ingredients.
- Bake: Bake in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
Tip!
Let the casserole cool before serving! If you try to cut into it right away, it will be very messy to serve, not to mention extremely hot!
Recipe Tips
- To make shredded chicken: You can cook chicken in so many different ways to use in this recipe! Here are a few options: boiled chicken breast or slow cooker shredded chicken. If you need a quick shortcut, buy a rotisserie chicken at the store! Be sure to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, but not so small that you lose all of the meaty texture.
- Add-Ins to try: This casserole would be delicious with black beans, corn, or any other veggies you might like.
- For a milder casserole, skip the poblano and jalapeno and use two bell peppers instead. You can also leave out or reduce the amount of chili pepper called for here.
- Make it gluten-free. Replace the flour with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour. For a low-carb casserole option, you might also like to try my Chicken Fajita Casserole recipe.
How to Store Leftover Casserole
- After it’s baked, leftover king ranch chicken casserole can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight storage container, for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in the microwave, or in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
- To freeze, store the baked casserole, well wrapped and sealed, in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
King Ranch Chicken Toppings
Anything you would add to tacos, nachos, or enchiladas is fair game here! Try some of these tasty toppings:
- Lime crema, sour cream or unsweetened greek yogurt
- Pico de gallo
- Homemade Guacamole
- Fresh diced tomatoes, onions, or chopped cilantro
- Sliced black olives
Recipe FAQs
Why is it called King Ranch Chicken?
It’s not entirely clear how this casserole got its name, but it’s generally assumed that it’s named for King Ranch in Texas, which is the largest cattle ranch in the United States. You can find this iconic casserole all over Texas though, and in homes all across the country.
Can I freeze king ranch chicken casserole?
Yes. After the casserole has been baked and cooled completely, wrap it up airtight, then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How can I make this dish ahead of time?
Yes! Assemble the tortilla casserole up to 2 days ahead of time and keep it stored in the fridge. Bake it according to the recipe instructions when you’re ready to eat!
More Easy Casserole Recipes
All Casseroles →
Don’t wait to make this hearty and delicious King Ranch Chicken Casserole! But if you need to wait, be sure to Pin the recipe so that you can find it when you really need it. Enjoy!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (52 g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 poblano pepper chopped
- 1 small jalapeno minced (optional for extra heat)
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) chicken stock
- 3-4 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) do not drain
- 1 cup (250 g) sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups (225 g) shredded Monterey Jack cheese or cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), and lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, and jalapeno. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, and garlic powder, and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and stir well to combine, cook for 30 seconds.
- Gradually add the chicken stock, stirring continuously to avoid lumps. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture thickens slightly. Then, add the cooked shredded chicken and diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the sour cream.
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, spread a thin layer of chicken sauce on the bottom, then top with 6 corn tortillas. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas, then sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers once more, ending with a cheese layer on top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
- Allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes:
- To make shredded chicken: You can cook chicken in so many different ways to use in this recipe! Here are a few options: boiled chicken breast, or slow cooker shredded chicken. If you need a quick shortcut, buy a rotisserie chicken at the store! Be sure to shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces, but not so small that you loose all of the meaty texture.
- Add-Ins to try: This casserole would be delicious with black beans, corn, or any other veggies you might like.
- For a milder casserole, skip the poblano and jalapeno and use two bell peppers instead. You can also leave out or reduce the amount of chili pepper called for here.
- Make it gluten free. Replace the flour with your favorite 1:1 gluten free flour.
- To Store: Once baked, the casserole can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw completely before reheating.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Leave a Review!