King Ranch Casserole
Are you ready to try the best chicken casserole ever? This King Ranch Casserole features tantalizing Tex-Mex flavor mixed with cheesy and creamy layers.
While it may have its roots in Texas, this King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a beloved dish everywhere in the South. It’s bound to show up at any potluck you attend, but it’s easy to see why. It’s cozy, comforting, and oh-so-delicious, with creamy Tex-Mex layers sandwiched between corn tortillas and lots of cheese. Sounds like Southern comfort food heaven, right?
Another reason this is the best chicken casserole ever is that it requires minimal prep and makes the ideal family-friendly weeknight dinner. You can even make it the night before and store it in your fridge to pop in the oven right before supper.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken (I used )
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped green chilies
- Cream of chicken
- Cream of mushroom
- Shredded cheese
- Corn tortillas (or you can use pieces of if you prefer)
- Chopped onions
- Spices: chili powder, pepper, salt, and garlic powder.
Pour a little bit of oil in a large skillet, about two tablespoons.
Add in your onions…
and saute those, stirring often, until browned a bit.
Then dump in your chilies, cream soups, drained diced tomatoes, and shredded chicken.
Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder.
and stir.
Cook this on medium heat until heated through and bubbly – usually just a few minutes.
Tear half of your corn tortillas up into little pieces and layer them in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
Spread half of your over the and sprinkle with half your .
Add the rest of your corn tortillas, all torn up. Then glob the rest of your chicken mixture over that and smear it around…
and more cheese!
Lots of folks make their King Ranch casseroles in three layers, but I just do two. If you wanna do three go right ahead. Whatever cranks yer tractor. Two does it for me!
Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges and your stomach is growling from the smell. Top with some chopped when you’re ready to serve.
HELLO DINNER!
Yum di di dum dum yum yum yum!!
Storage
- Casserole leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
- You can freeze the entire unbaked casserole for up to one month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then cook as instructed above. Alternatively, cooked casserole servings will last in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then reheat in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- In this casserole, you can use any kind of chicken, including boiled chicken breast, canned chicken, or whatever leftover chicken you have in the fridge. Today I used rotisserie chicken and it was fantastic, but I also sometimes buy a 10-pound bag of leg quarters and boil them until done. Then I shred all of the chicken and freeze in small portions to toss in casseroles, dumplings, and stews.
- You can use any combination of condensed soup varieties. Go for only cream of mushroom or chicken, or use other flavors like cream of celery or cream of onion.
- If you’d like your King Ranch Casserole to have a little crunch, substitute the corn tortillas for crushed tortilla chips or Doritos.
- Instead of cheddar cheese, sprinkle your casserole with Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack cheese instead.
- You can also add more veggies to your chicken mixture, like green bell pepper.
- For another creamy layer addition, serve your with a scoop of .
- If too spicy, substitute for for a less heated option.
Recipe FAQs
Why is it called King Range Chicken Casserole?
While its name comes from King Ranch, one of the country’s largest ranches, there’s actually no direct connection between this Tex-Mex casserole and the ranch.
Can I make this casserole the night before?
Yes! You can assemble this casserole in a the night before, store it in the fridge, and then bake it when you get home.
Can I use fat-free cream of chicken or cream of mushroom?
Yes, you can use fat-free versions. If you are watching your fat intake for health reasons I actually strongly recommend it. Just always check with your health professionals if you are making any substitutes due to health.
What do you serve with King Ranch Chicken Casserole?
While this casserole is a meal in itself, you can serve it alongside other Southern favorites, including cornbread, corn salad, fresh green beans, and three-bean salad. You can also serve it with a simple refreshing salad like this Greek cucumber salad or some tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole.
Is King Ranch Casserole gluten-free?
Yes, this King Ranch Casserole recipe is naturally gluten-free, thanks to the corn tortillas.
Here are other casserole recipes you may enjoy:
Cabbage Casserole Recipe Oven or Slow Cooker
Cornbread Casserole Recipe Simple and Savory
Sloppy Joes Casserole Deep Dish Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 4 ounce can diced green chilies
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes drained
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 12 - 14 corn tortillas six-inch
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place oil in a large skillet. Add onions and saute over medium heat until onions are lightly browned.1 onion, 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Add rotisserie chicken, cream soups, chilies, tomatoes, and all seasonings. Stir and cook over medium heat until bubbly.2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 4 ounce can diced green chilies, 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Tear tortillas into small pieces. Place half of the torn tortillas in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Top with remaining tortilla pieces, remaining chicken mixture, and remaining cheese.12 - 14 corn tortillas, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned around the edges.
The stars at night, are big and bright… ~clap clap clap clap~…
I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think,
all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read,
and all the friends I want to see.
– John Burroughs
Submitted by Steaksmom Submit your quote here!
Thanks for this recipe, Christy! I am going to make this for dinner.
BTW, I had my first trip to Alabama last summer and my first trip to Texas in January. I loved both places. Alabama in late June last year was hot but everyone was so friendly, it was worth dealing with the heat! It was almost as hot in Michigan anyway. I scoured the the small town we were in for that white BBQ sauce you posted and finally found it at Walmart! Piggly Wiggly didn’t carry it and neither did Givorn’s. I found cream peas though, brought back several cans and fell in love. I can’t get them here in Detroit. I also bought some great hot chow chow and several different kinds of BBQ sauce.
In January when we went to Texas, I went to Brookshire’s Market and found cream peas there too. This time I bought 12 cans to bring home. I’m a weird tourist…I head straight for a grocery store to see what looks good that I can’t get in Michigan.
Next I want to go to Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.
Off to the market I go, I have everything in the pantry already, I just need to buy chicken.
Just a note to follow up: I made this casserole and my husband, who typically is not a fan of casseroles, said it was delicious! He ate seconds the first day and had the leftovers for lunch the next day. Thanks for this recipe!
You are so lucky you actually get a spring break !!!!!!!!! We had so much snow here the kids missed tons of school. So what do they do????? They take days away from our spring break !!!! So now we have Good Friday and Easter Monday – and that’s it. Isn’t that sad????? But I guess I should be happy they didn’t take those away too. Enjoy the time with your kids. Loved the frozen toys. That My Little Pony was too funny!
Christy,
Since you are from Texas 😉 maybe you can tell me why they call a chicken casserole a “KING RANCH” casserole when the historic King Ranch in Texas is a cattle ranch. just wondering … for a long time.
I still have to try this. And, I don’t like corn tortillas either, but just saw where there is a Corn-Flour or Flour-Corn tortilla on the market. If I can find them, I’ll definitely try them.
Dear All
What lovely, welcoming people you are. If and when I get to come over I want to visit Texas as well as Alabama, Tennessee, Minnesota, Maine, Oregon etc. Perhaps I will need a lottery win and a year to spend on holiday…lol
I am going to try this casserole it looks great. Call me crazy but Texas has always scared me, I have never been there, but somebody used to tell me that snakes hang from the trees. I am terrified of snakes so I have never wanted to go. I don’t know if this story is true, probably one of my rotten brothers told me the story but it stuck with me.
I dub thee an official Texan! I’ll try to get down to Dallas and see you if you get out this way on your book tour.
I’ve been making King Ranch Chicken for years, but I never used canned chicken. Will definitely have to try it next time I need my King Ranch fix and don’t have any cooked chicken. I like to use ground cumin instead of chili powder, Rotel instead of diced tomatoes and Doritos instead of tortillas. Sometimes I cook up a couple pounds of ground beef with the onions and spices instead of using chicken. Delish!!!
We’ll add to the list to be HAPPY to have you a Texan!!! You can come stay with us in Fort Worth(part of D/FW metro, but, NOT Dallas–in other words, go WEST from the airport.. not east..haha) anytime!!
Only difference in yours and mine is you heat the tortillas in oil first, cool, then tear up.. changes the texture JUUUST a little. But, yeppers, you done GOOD sister!! True Texan!
Oh, and, if you want some rice to go with this, just start with the same measurements as regular white rice, but, instead of butter, put the same measure (say about a tablespoon) of oil in your pot. Add your measure of rice (yes, dry) stir and cook until it starts to pop and part of it turns light brown. Add garlic salt until it smells too strong (that’s the only way I measure it.. just smell the pot and if it smells like too much it will be just right). Add one can of tomato sauce with enough water for your perfect measure. (i.e. 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of liquid.) Cover and simmer without lifting the lid for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork. (Peas and onions added can make it like a restaurant, but, the kids like it plain like this) I learned this from my former Mexican mother-in-law. So, try it!