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.
This dish was a big hit!!! We only layered with cheese no tortilla chips to lower the carbs but everyone loved it. It was all gone and no leftovers. Making this again for suree
83.58 grams of fiber per serving?
Thanks for catching that. That’s definitely an error. We’ll recalculate. :)
We recalculated that one and it’s all fixed now!
WOW!! We tried this a few days ago and added one simple touch to make this great for several different meals. We chopped some tomatoes to add while sauteing the onions & peppers. We added diced green chilies or minced jalapenoes and spiced the whole cassarole with Paul Newman’s Mango Salsa! This added such a sweetness that made the flavors BURST in your mouth! When putting up for another couple of meals we had just a bit left over and I told my husband to cook it in with scrambled eggs for breakfast ! It turned out amazing with the whole thing combined into a taste that is well worth trying!
Brilliant idea! I have mango salsa in the fridge and I never would have thought to add it. I’m definitely gonna give it a try tomorrow.
This is the first recipe we’ve made from this site. Oh my goodness, it was so good. The recipe was easy to follow. The outcome was phenomenal. The flavors were amazing. It’s wasn’t hard to make, and it was cost effective. I have two picky eaters in the house, and they loved it! This is definitely a winner, and we will be having this again. :) Thanks Beth!
Wonderful dinner we had tonight – thanks to Beths recipe! Followed the directions exactly except I used a roasted salsa verde instead of Rotel. I was out of Rotel and so was the local grocer, so I had plenty of salsa verde on hand and it was delicious. I, too, am not a fan of the condensed soup, so was glad to see this recipe uses a roux – REALLY makes a difference! Family of four demolished it and was full and happy!
Great recipe! Not sure if it’s been mentioned before or not, but if you want an easy way to up the spice, I used a can of Hot Rotel with habaneros instead of the mild or original can and it was the perfect amount of heat.
This is now a regular in my home. I follow the recipe exactly each time and am so happy to have found this comfort food that still has plenty of veggies in it. Thank you for putting the effort into coming up with these delicious yet quick and simple to follow recipes!
I sometimes prefer the taste of cream of…soups in recipes, but other times, I prefer to make my own creamy sauce. It depends on the recipe. I agree with you, though, that it’s nice when I make a roux and make it myself because I know everything that went into the recipe. Unfortunately, I’m lazy sometimes. I keep meaning to try king ranch casserole, but I still haven’t.
I would love to try this one day, but I can’t get any rotel (or mexican salsa) and sour cream where I live…also, it’s hard to get fresh green chilies…what are my substitute options?
I managed to get some sour cream and fresh green bell pepper and used simple tomato passata in place of rotel, also because one finicky guest doesn’t like to eat diced tomatoes. I guess it worked well? Would do it again but using crumbled sausage in place of chicken, because when you go all out, you go all out.
I made this last night, followed the recipe to a T, and it turned out wonderfully! Thank you so much for another amazing recipe!
What would you recommend if I wanted to add more spice I really liked the recipe but I felt like I was missing a more defined punch. I was thinking of maybe adding something to the initial chicken like a cayenne but I wanted to hear what you would recommend first haha.
I agree, cayenne would be a great fit, as would a pinch of red pepper flakes!
Where is the salt? Was it in the chicken stock or coated on the chips or something? Is the recipe truly salt free?
It’s definitely not salt free, but like you guessed the salt comes in with the other ingredients. The chicken broth, chips, and cheese all contain quite a bit of salt. :)
I used homemade chicken stock (unsalted), and unsalted butter. I was wondering why it was kinda bland.
I ended up adding garlic, cumin, paprika, Creole seasoning, mozzarella, and subbed chips with Doritos.
It didn’t quite fill the casserole that high and there is definitely room to add more. The first time I made it was with a 2.5 lb pack of chicken and it fit fine (although the ratio was off and needed more sauce and cheese).
My quarantine subs were 10 oz salsa instead of rotel and whipped cottage cheese instead of sour cream. Delicious.
So good! It was hard to stop eating! The recipe yielded about 4 servings for me. The only sub I made was plain greek yogurt for sour cream. Now I need a post-meal nap…
I didn’t have a can of chicken like I thought, but I did have a can of black beans! I also used 5 eggs that I scrambled instead of the chicken. I had to mix it a little differently because I didn’t think the egg with gravy would be my jam. I didn’t have bell pepper and decided not to try to sub it with other veggies. It was so yummy! I think the tomatoes with green chilies is a very important ingredient! The bites with those pops of tomato were extra scrumptious.
Oops! I meant this to be a reply to myself from a couple days ago.
Can you make this ahead and refrigerate for a few days before cooking and serving?
Or can it be frozen?
It sounds so delicious and I’m looking forward to making ahead to take on RV trip.
I think it would be a great dish to take with you. My recommendation especially for RV life is to make it ahead and just reheat and eat on the road. The less energy you have to put out in the RV the better. At least that was my experience. Have a great trip!
You think the chips would stay crisp? I thought I would make the “gravy” at home then layer and cook right before we eat. I’m all about bringing totally prepared foods but it won’t be too bad to put together and bake. I’m using our home grown poblanos.
That’s a great idea!
I have half a bag of lentils and not much chicken. Could I use some lentils? I don’t even think I have beans… I also don’t have bell pepper so I might sub in celery and carrots… It’s the end of the month and I’m low on funds.
I’m not a big casserole fan but wanted to try a recipe that I could use canned chicken with (trying to use up items in the pantry.) I used 2 cans + 1 can of black beans and a 1/2 tsp cumin. The family liked it and the leftovers were gone the next day. I will make again! Thanks!
This was such an unexpectedly wonderful recipe. I didn’t have sour cream, but I used coconut in its place. I was dubious, but it worked, I think because I added more heat. I used cayenne instead of chili powder and I added 1 or 2 teaspoons of chili flakes. I really liked it so much more than I thought it would, and my boyfriend devoured dinner… and leftovers. Thanks for the awesome recipe.
Sorry!I I meant to say, coconut milk (not coconut). Cheers!
This was good but I thought it needed a little more seasoning or more kick. Next time I think I would add cumin, ancho chili powder, and jalapenos. Also possibly a red pepper and some mushrooms. I liked the gravy though and was happy to find a King Ranch Casserole recipe that didn’t used canned soups. Thanks for the versatile recipe!!
Yum!! This was SO easy and good. I used a little less chicken and added a can of pinto beans because meat is hard to find right now and it was amazing!
I’ve made this several times as written and the whole house has loved it every time! The pandemic forced me to get a little creative with the recipe tonight but it still turned out delicious. I haven’t seen chicken breasts on the shelves in weeks, so I used one 12oz can of chicken and one can of black beans (both drained). I heated them both up with the oil and spices like you do for the raw chicken normally. I also had to sub fire roasted salsa for the rotel and a bag of shredded Mexican blend cheese in lieu of all cheddar. Even with the changes, it was a hit!
Any suggestions on how you would incorporate rice into this instead of chips?
You’d definitely want to use rice that is already cooked, but aside from that, I think I’d have to test it first to give any other guidance. It’s too hard to predict how it would turn out without trying it first. :)
Quarantine life. I don’t have any tortilla chips or strips but I do have lots of tortillas. Would it work to bake those ahead of time to crisp up or even use as is? Would love to avoid frying them if I can… thoughts? Thank you!
Yes you can do that!
Thanks to the quarantine, I have no meat whatsoever😕 What can I use in place of the chicken?
White beans or pinto beans would be my next choice (one can). I would add the spices to the skillet with the onion and bell pepper instead of the chicken, then add the drained can of beans when you add the can of tomatoes. :)
This recipe is so good! My grandma used to make a canned soup version, and I haven’t been able to find a healthier alternative until now. It’s also a perfect way to use up stale chips! Highly recommend.
Beth. Guuuuurrrrlllll, this King Ranch Chicken Casserole is the bomb dot com!!!! This dish is light as far as using tortilla chips and cream of soup is concerned. My sister and I sprinkled a little bit of cayenne pepper on the chicken breasts for a little kick, and I added a little bit more cheese than the recipe asked for. I will be making this dish again. Thank you so much for sharing!!! 😋😋
I meant to say “not using cream of soup is concerned.” My bad 😳
Ha it’s okay I understood!
Way to kick it up a notch! Happy to hear you enjoy it Shawnae!
This is exactly what I wanted on a snowy, icy day in October! I added chopped zucchini, used salsa because I didn’t have Rotel, and a mix of yogurt and whipping cream for the creaminess. A great leftovers casserole! Thanks!
What great additions and swaps! Thanks for sharing Emily. Stay warm!
This is the first recipe I’ve made from your site and I loved it!!!! So easy to follow and the dish was fantastic! Thank you!
Welcome Shari! Glad you liked it!
Just had this for dinner and we loved it. Tasty, affordable, filling. Felt like comfort food w/o feeling guilty afterwards. Thanks!
That’s awesome Bee!
This dish is phenomenal. The entire family loves it. I haven’t experimented with adding it to the chicken mixture yet, but when reheating, I’ve added a little bit of Hidden Valley Spicy Ranch (I usually use in burritos and fajitas) and it is out of this world. Will likely add some to the skillet next time around!
Oh wow! I’ll have to try that addition!
Yummy! I had a Dr. Pepper to drink with this. Perfect Texas nostalgia. It was of course different from the traditional recipe, but the flavor was right on, and I loved the crunch from the tortilla chips.
So my husband and I were trying to figure out somewhere to go that we’ve never been to eat or something I could cook at home that we hadn’t overdosed on. Never been on your website before and became immediatly obsessed with all your recipes so much I ran out to the store with a compiled list of ingredients to match countless recipes of yours! Filled my fridge with fresh veggies on top of getting some high ticket items like the grape leaves and tahini for $150 :) . I just happened to have more black beans and cans of chickpeas in my cupboard than I could shake a stick at because I can never think of ways to use them. Anyways I made this dinner for my husband and dad at 4 am 😂 and it was soooooo easy and freaking amazing! Looking forward to making batches of hummus, dolmas, medeteranian bowls, roasted vegetable couscous, freezer ready breakfast burritos, homemade falafel, beef kofta meatballs & veggies, lentil & veggie stew, cilantro lime chicken, roasted cauliflower salad, lemon tahini dressing, cucumber and black bean salad, teriyaki chicken and rice, creamy spinach artichoke chicken, broccoli pesto pizza, oven baked tilapia, salsa chicken meal prep bowls, cajun salmon burgers, giant meatballs, Mediterranean hummus bowls, seeded oats and more! NO SERIOUSLY I HAVE ENOUGH TO MAKE ALLLL THOSE MEALS for $150!
You Beth, are the S**t! 😍
THANK YOU!!!
WOW!! That is so awesome!! And you’re in luck, black beans and chickpeas are my two favorite ingredients, so you’ll find plenty of ways to use them here. :) And kudos to you for cooking at 4am! Haha!
Just made this (university student)- so easy and absolutely amazing. Doubled the recipes for leftovers and have a feeling it is going to be amazing after a bit in the fridge. Thank you for this!
Wahoo! Happy to hear it Harry!
I made this for dinner and stepped out to a meeting while my family ate dinner. I came home and my husband and kids told me it was the BEST thing I have ever cooked!! Instead of dicing fresh veggies, I used a frozen mixed of red and green bell peppers and onions. I also omitted the flour as we somehow ran out so I used bread crumbs instead. I used Colby jack cheese instead of cheddar.
Now that’s a rave review! :)
Hi Beth – Any suggestions for cook time if I make this ahead and am cooking from a refrigerated state? Thanks!
Unfortunately I haven’t tried that method so I don’t know how long it will take, but this one is very flexible and you can just keep an eye on it and test to see when it’s heated through. Everything is already “cooked” so there’s no real danger of undercooking it in the oven. :)
Looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it now that it’s cooling down where I live. Does the casserole absolutely NEED the tortilla chips baked into it? I ask because I usually prepare things on the weekend to eat for lunch at work throughout the week and I read a previous comment about sogginess. I’m thinking about just having tortilla chips on the side.
You can totally leave the chips on the side and dip them. :) If you do that, you won’t even really need to do the baking step. The baking is only to heat everything through once assembled and to melt the cheese on top, everything cooks when it’s in the skillet.
My husband and 10yo son (who doesn’t eat anything except chicken nuggets and hamburgers) DEVOURED this! I swapped out regular flour for GF rice flour for my celiac husband and it was soooo good!! THANK YOU!
Wahoo! Happy to hear about another win with the family. And that you were able to make the GF swap.
Ok, I made this on the 20th and we liked it so much that I made it again today! I am really happy I signed up to get emails or I never would have seen the recipe or tried it. We aren’t particularly a “casserole” loving family, but this is too good not to eat.
Happy you decided to give it a try!
Just made this, the baking pan is still cooling off as I type! This was so much fun to make, and EASY too. Those two adjectives are a crucial part of any recipe I dare to try as a new cook lol. Thank you so much for posting this!! It’s delicious and I love that I’m not using canned soups packed with sodium.
Thanks Raven!
What side would you serve with this dish?
Maybe a big green spinach salad?
Going on my list for next week (if it cools off in Denver – it was almost 100 here yesterday). My husband will go nuts for this!
Yes not fun for hot days! But perfect for the cooler months ahead.
Do you think I could make this on a Sunday and have lunches/dinners for a few days? I realize the tortilla chips will probably get soggier by the day but I’m not sure I’d mind too much. Looks delicious!
Most definitely!
You know all those broken bits of chips at the bottom of the bag? Save those to sprinkle on leftovers. That’s what I did, and I enjoyed the leftovers more with a bit of crunch.
Thanks for this, it is excellent! I doubled the recipe – one for my family, and the other I am dropping off tomorrow for a friend who recently had twin babies. For hers, I did all the steps except for the baking, so fingers crossed it stays good overnight and bakes up well for her tomorrow!
It’s a great dish to share with others!
Currently bubbling in my oven. The filling mix was delicious and I’m sure my family is about to devour it!! This kinda comfort food is exactly what I needed today.
I’ve wanted to make this casserole for years but was turned off by all the gloopy recipes. So glad you budget bytes-ified it!
Love to hear it!
I had to add garlic!
Nothing wrong with that!
I made this last night and it is delicious like all of your recipes! It reminds me of loaded nachos, and the flavors are very similar to your creamy chicken fajita pasta.
Thanks Robin!
King Ranch was a staple in my house growing up! We repurposed it as nachos topping the next day.
Oh wow I’ll have to try that!
What could I use as a sub for the sour cream? (I may be the only person on the planet that can’t stand it!) Do you think plain Greek yogurt would do?
Theresa: I have used Greek yogurt as a substitute for sour cream a few times. It’s tangier and definitely tastes like yogurt! I serve it on the side because some of my peeps just won’t go there…not on Mexican food anyways. Sour cream snobs is what they are. Just kidding guys =D
Do you know if the yogurt would break the sauce if added before going into the oven? My kids are usually fine with it mixed in, but might notice a difference in flavor if it’s just added after baking. :)
I think you’ll be just fine adding it in before baking.
Yum!! Heading into fall, I’d love to see more homey, comfort food recipes on the blog!
Ask and you shall receive! :) Stay tuned.
What a delicious recipe you have. I love it. This will surely give a delicious food for a healthy life.
Looks delicious! I just read a book set in Texas and they made this casserole – never heard of it before! Do you think the chicken/sauce mixture could be made and frozen? Chips & cheese are always in pantry & fridge, but having the meat & sauce ready to go as a meal starter in the freezer could be a time saver. Not sure how the sour cream would hold up to freezing though…
I haven’t tried freezing a sauce like this but from what I understand sauces that are thickened with flour tend to separate upon thawing, so I’m going to guess that it wouldn’t hold up well, unfortunately.
I don’t like canned soups in my recipes either. This one is going on my list of recipes to try. Looks delicious!
Oops-you need 2 cups of cheese-16 oz total divided. Making this now…can’t wait! My mouth is watering!!
Eight ounces of shredded cheese equals 2 cups. It’s a weight/volume thing 🙂
Yep, it’s 8 weight ounces, which is approximately 2 cups volume when shredded. :) Fluids are listed in volume ounces, whereas solids are listed in weight ounces (on packages and in recipes).
This recipe looks amazing Beth..!! 😎
Thanks Kevin!
Hi Beth, I am a huge fan! I was recently diagnosed with a gluten intolerance … any suggestion for a flour replacement … maybe cornstarch???? This recipe is nearly gluten free!
Cornstarch should work, as will arrowroot, which costs a little more, but is widely available in supermarkets now that so many folks are avoiding gluten. There are a couple of other thickening agents available.I always use tapioca in fruit fillings–the instant sort, not pearl. For creamy sauces and soups, I often use instant mashed potato flakes–cheap, nearly tasteless, and you don’t need to dissolve them in a slurry to get a lump free result. I think instant potato would work fine in this recipe.
There are probably as many recipes for King Ranch Casserole as there are cooks in Texas, and this is another fine addition to that huge collection. I particularly like the fact that it relies on easy to find ingredients. Love it myself–my version is made with lots of green chilis and no cans of soup.
Thank you! I have tried instant potato flakes before in meatballs and that sounds like a great idea for this recipe. Thanks again for all your helpful suggestions.
Yes what Janet said! Cornstarch and Arrowroot would be just fine as replacements for flour.
Oh, this takes me back to my childhood! (I grew up and still live in Texas!) Such a great comfort food.
This looks good. What can I replace the tortilla strips with? Not sure I can find them in Canada.
Do you just have tortilla chips? I think just the regular triangle ones would be a fine replacement.
Mihaela I live in Ottawa and you can definitely find thicker tortilla chips than the “restaurant style” that brand names offer. Try Selection (Metro). Triangular and thick enough for the recipe’s purpose (=
Thanks for this recipe! I always wanted to try King Ranch but was turned off by the canned soup ingredients!
Always best to make from scratch! Let us know what you think.
This looks so good and flavorful! I need this in my life!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com