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.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
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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!
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!