Description
King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Tex-Mex layered dish featuring tender shredded chicken, a creamy and flavorful sauce with mushrooms, chicken soup, diced tomatoes, and green chilies, all baked between layers of tortillas and topped with melted cheddar cheese. This hearty casserole is perfect for family dinners and is ready in about an hour, serving 8 people.
Ingredients
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon chives, chopped (for garnish)
Liquids & Condensed Soups
- 10.75 ounce condensed cream of mushroom soup (1 can)
- 10.75 ounce condensed cream of chicken soup (1 can)
- 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes (1 can)
- ⅔ cup low sodium chicken broth
Proteins & Dairy
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Other
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 ounce green chilies (1 can)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 10 medium tortillas (corn or flour, 4 cut into halves)
Instructions
- Prep the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F to get it ready for baking the casserole later.
- Cook onion and pepper: Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until the onion softens and becomes translucent, enhancing their flavors.
- Make the sauce: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked onion and pepper mixture with the condensed cream of mushroom soup, condensed cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes, chicken broth, green chilies, chili powder, and garlic powder. Stir everything together carefully until well blended.
- Start to assemble casserole: Spread a half cup of the prepared sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Layer half of the shredded chicken over the sauce, then pour 2 cups of sauce evenly over the chicken. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese on top, and spread half of the tortillas over the cheese to create the first layer.
- Finish assembling casserole: Add the remaining shredded chicken over the tortilla layer, then pour 2 more cups of the sauce over it. Sprinkle another cup of cheddar cheese, and layer the remaining tortillas on top. Finally, spread the remaining sauce and top everything with the remaining shredded cheddar cheese for a rich, cheesy finish.
- Bake and garnish: Place the casserole dish in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and garnish with chopped chives before serving to add a fresh burst of flavor and color.
Notes
- For a spicier casserole, add extra diced green chilies or cayenne pepper to the sauce.
- Use corn or flour tortillas based on your preference; either works well.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
- You can substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth for a lighter flavor.
- For a gluten-free option, ensure tortillas and soups are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
