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. 😅
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.
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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!
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
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