What am I doing over here cooking a casserole on one of the hottest days of the summer? Crazy, perhaps, but the stomach wants what the stomach wants, and mine wants King Ranch Chicken Casserole! This creamy cheesy chicken casserole recipe is pure comfort food heaven and I guess that’s just what I need after months of eating nothing but summery refrigerator salads. 😅
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What is King Ranch Chicken Casserole?
King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Texan casserole, with layers of chicken, cheese, tortillas, and a rich creamy gravy (read about the purported history of the casserole here). Like a lot of casseroles, King Ranch Casserole is usually made with canned condensed soups. But if you know me, you know that I can’t get down with that. So I made a from-scratch version of this classic recipe, with a quick and easy homemade creamy chicken gravy.
King Ranch Chicken Casserole, My Way
This is one of those recipes where there are as many versions as there are small towns in America. My interpretation of Kinch Ranch Chicken Casserole has a little less “sauce” and a little more texture. I did this by using crunchy tortilla chip strips (the thick rectangular chips) instead of raw corn tortillas, and used a little less of that creamy gravy than you might normally find in a King Ranch Casserole. It’s still creamy, cheesy, and good, just less gloopy.
No Cream of Chicken Soup, Please!
I’m just not a fan of using condensed soup in my recipes. I’d rather just mix up a quick roux in the skillet and thicken the recipe that way. It’s not complicated and there are no mystery ingredients that way. :) Make sure to scroll down to the step by step photos below the recipe to see how it’s done!
The Rotisserie Chicken Short Cut
If you want to make your King Ranch Chicken Casserole a little easier, you can skip cooking the raw chicken breasts below and use pulled meat from a rotisserie chicken. You’ll need 2-3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken to replace the chicken breasts. You can start the recipe with the step where you add butter, onion, and bell pepper to the skillet, modifying by adding the 1 Tbsp chili powder to the vegetables instead of to the raw chicken.
How Spicy is This King Ranch Chicken Casserole?
My casserole’s spice level was virtually non-detectable. The heat level will vary based on two ingredients: the chili powder and the diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel). Chili powder (which is a chili seasoning, not ground red chiles) can vary in heat from brand to brand and the one I have right now (a grocery store generic) has zero heat. The same is true for canned diced tomatoes with green chiles. Some brands are spicy, some are mild. Some label them as spicy or mild, some do not. So just be aware of these two ingredients if you’re trying to control the heat.
Love casseroles? Check out these other canned-soup-free casseroles: Creamiest Green Bean Casserole, Cheesy Chicken Vegetable and Rice Casserole, Wild Rice and Vegetable Casserole, and Cheesy Cottage Pie.
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Servings 6 About 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast ($5.79)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil ($0.04)
- 2 Tbsp butter ($0.26)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.21)
- 1 green bell pepper ($0.63)
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour ($0.02)
- 1 cup chicken broth ($0.13)
- 1 10oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles (Rotel) ($0.45)
- 1/2 cup sour cream ($0.22)
- 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded ($1.69)
- 5 cups tortilla chip strips* ($1.00)
- 2 green onions ($0.23)
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board, cover with plastic wrap, and use a mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to an even thickness, about 3/4 to 1-inch thick. Season both sides of the chicken breasts with chili powder.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium. Once hot, swirl the oil to coat the surface of the skillet, then add the seasoned chicken breast. Cook the chicken until browned on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes each side. Remove the chicken to a clean cutting board to cool.
- While the chicken is cooking, finely dice the onion and bell pepper, and shred the cheddar cheese. Begin to preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- After removing the chicken from the skillet, add the butter, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the butter over medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Add the flour to the skillet with the onion and bell pepper. Continue to sauté for about one minute more, or until the flour coats the bottom of the skillet and turns golden brown.
- Add the chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the flour and any browned bits of chicken from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the broth come up to a simmer, at which point it will thicken to a gravy. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Drain the can of diced tomatoes with green chiles well. Dice the cooked chicken. Stir the chicken and tomatoes into the gravy.
- After stirring the chicken and tomatoes into the gravy, add the sour cream and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar, and stir until combined.
- Layer a few handfuls of the tortilla chip strips into the bottom of a 9×13-inch or 3 quart casserole dish. Spoon half of the chicken mixture on top of the chips. Layer more tortilla chip strips on top (about half as much as before), then spoon the remaining chicken mixture on top. Finally, add the remaining 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar.
- Bake the casserole in the preheated 375ºF oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole bubbles around the edges. Sprinkle sliced green onions on top after baking, then serve hot.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Glass Casserole Dish
- Color Cutting Boards
- Deep Stainless Steel Skillet
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for step by step photos!
How to Make King Ranch Chicken Casserole – Step by Step Photos
Begin by pounding two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb. total) to an even thickness, about 3/4 to 1-inch thick. This will help it cook quickly and evenly without drying out. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with about 1 Tbsp chili powder.
Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil to a large skillet and preheat it over medium. Once hot, swirl to coat the skillet in oil, then add the chicken breasts. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and cooked through (about 5 minutes per side). While the chicken cooks, dice one yellow onion and one bell pepper. Shred 8 oz. cheddar cheese.
Remove the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board to cool. Begin to preheat the oven to 375ºF. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the skillet along with 2 Tbsp butter. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in the butter over medium heat until the onion are soft and translucent (about 5 minutes).
Add 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour to the skillet and continue to stir and cook over medium heat, for about one minute more, or until the flour begins to coat the bottom of the skillet and turn golden brown (you’re essentially making a roux here with the leftover fat in the skillet and the flour).
Add 1 cup chicken broth to the skillet and stir to dissolve the flour and any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the skillet to come up to a simmer, at which point the broth will thicken into a gravy. Remove the skillet from the heat.
Dice the cooked chicken and drain one 10 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. Add the chicken and tomatoes to the skillet and stir to combine.
Add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheddar to the skillet and stir to combine.
Lay a few handfuls of tortilla chip strips in the bottom of a 9×13-inch or 3 quart casserole dish. Spoon 1/2 of the chicken mixture over the chips (it will not cover in a solid layer).
Add a couple more handfuls of chips on top (about half as many as before), then spoon the rest of the chicken mixture over top. Lastly, add the remaining 1.5 cups of shredded cheddar on top.
Bake the King Ranch Chicken Casserole in the preheated 375ºF oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling around the edges. Sprinkle sliced green onions on top after baking. Serve hot.
Cheeeeeeeeesy chicken and tortillas!
As a born-and-raised Texan I think this looks like a great version. But for the record, I have never heard it called “King Ranch chicken casserole” in Texas. It’s always just “King Ranch Chicken.” And yes, of course it’s a casserole. We just don’t use the words (ha!). Thanks for this non-condensed-soup version, though–and for all your great recipes. I may try it without the sour cream (I don’t like sour cream)–maybe with a little evaporated milk. I’ll check back.
Good recipe and easy to make. Only additions I made was I added some salt and extra chili powder to the chicken mixture before adding it to the casserole dish.
Can I put my King Ranch casserole in the refrigerator for a couple of days before I bake it in the oven?
I don’t think that would end well for the tortillas chips, but you could get the chicken layer ready and store in the fridge, then assemble right before cooking!
THIS is the recipe for King Ranch Casserole! Two things that make it so. Making the sauce from scratch instead of condensed cream of chicken soup makes a huge difference. Also, take the time/effort to grate block cheese. The already shredded cheese doesn’t melt right and not as tasty due to the cellulose coating.
We have this often and everyone loves it. Thanks Beth for not “getting down” with condensed soup! ;)
This was so good! We really enjoyed it! We used pre-cooked shredded chicken and just added in the chili powder. Thanks for the recipe!
This was so easy and yummy. I used leftover rotisserie chicken, more chill powder, and extra jarred jalepenos and the spice was right on for my tastes. I had some thin and crispy chips that I got on sale, and I definitely would use more of those than recommend vs the thick style, but my kids say it wad the best “spicy nachos” they have ever had!
DH & both teens really liked this dish. Warmed up a can of seasoned black beans as a simple and easy side. Unfortunately, I couldn’t really taste it- no thanks to covid, I have lost my sense of smell and taste =( But I will definitely make it again and hopefully I can enjoy it the second time around!
Will try your chicken casserole recipes on my way to a week of 6 day meal planning
This was delicious. The chicken mixture would be great in enchiladas with some salsa verde.
Could this be frozen as a “freezer casserole” to prep in advance but bake later?
This looks great, (and your recipes never disappoint), but I’m searching for some recipes that could be freezer-friendly and I’m not too sure about this one, particularly about how the chips would hold up. Any tips?
Your instincts are correct on this one. I would cook it through step 7. Freeze that filling, and assemble it the day you cook it. XOXO -Monti
What an amazing recipe! So easy to follow too! I’m the kind of guy who messes up “easy” meal kits all the time. It was great fresh, it was great left over, and I’m excited to have more leftovers again tomorrow!
I had never had or heard of king ranch casserole but this was super good. My whole family liked it. I think next time I’ll add jalapeños as we like heat but made as is was delicious too.
I
LOVE
YOU!
I’m seriously on a budget (only 5am home $2300 a month and half goes to rent). You have taken the guessing game out of home cooked meals. Everything I’ve tried is super duper delish! I’ve passed this website onto my mom and sister, as well. Thank you soooo much for bring us delicious recipes.
Ugh. I didn’t edit this before I sent it. I was so excited! *only bring home (not 5am)
I’m so glad to hear it’s helping, Jodi! :)
Everyone loved it! It took way longer than I expected be. I will definitely use the rotisserie chicken route next time.
What kind of side dish would be served with something like this? I’m an Asian girl married to a Texas boy and trying to make him foods he grew up with, but I’m clueless about pairing things together. It seems too heavy to be eaten as a meal with nothing else?
Since this dish is pretty heavy, I would make some sort of salad for the side. Maybe Charred Corn and Zucchini Salad, Cucumber Black Bean Salad, or Cowboy Caviar.