King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe
When it comes to comfort foods, there's no doubt that a casserole is at the top of many people's lists. Casseroles are so great because they're easy to make, and they consist of one layer of goodness after the next. This king ranch chicken casserole has everything, from layers of tortillas, to shredded chicken mixed with two creamy soup bases, veggies, and plenty of gooey cheese on top.
Recipe developer Ting Dalton came up with this incredibly satisfying recipe that is sure to please a crowd. "This is comfort food at its finest. And although some recipes call for condensed soups, I like to use normal soup, so there is plenty of sauce," Dalton shares. "My family likens this meal ... to lasagna, with layers of tender chicken and tangy cheese, as well as sweet onions, peppers, and tomatoes. It's really delicious, and very filling."
If you're looking for something hearty and delicious, keep reading to find out how to throw this dish together.
Gather the ingredients for this king ranch chicken casserole
The ingredients needed for this recipe include a white onion, green bell pepper, shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, corn tortillas, cheddar cheese, and olive oil.
Once you have those, you can whip up this king ranch chicken casserole.
Sautée the veggies, and mix the ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350 F, and grease a casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Dice the onion, tomato, and bell pepper. Halve the tortillas.
Then, heat a skillet over medium, and add the remaining olive oil, onion, and bell pepper. Continue sautéing for about 5 minutes, then remove the veggies from the heat.
Next, add the shredded chicken, cream of chicken, and cream of mushroom soup to a large bowl. Toss the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and sautéed vegetables into the same bowl, and stir to combine.
Arrange the casserole
Grab the greased casserole dish, and arrange half of the tortilla halves in an even layer at the bottom of the casserole dish. Some of the tortillas may overlap, which is totally fine.
Spread half of the chicken mixture over the top of the tortillas, and sprinkle with half the cheese.
Repeat the layers, and bake
Repeat the same layers as you did in the previous step, starting with the remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, and finally, cheese on the top. If you use a smaller dish, you may have three layers instead of two.
Once completed, cook in the preheated oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. When it's finished cooking, the top should be bubbling and crispy.
Serve and enjoy
Remove the casserole from the oven, and serve as you wish. This dish is really filling on its own, but if you want to pair it with a lighter side dish, Dalton has a few suggestions. "I like to serve this with a green salad, or you could even serve it with fresh bread to mop up all the sauce," Dalton shares.
Be sure to keep any leftovers you may have. "You can freeze this for up to 3 months in a suitable container, or keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but make sure you reheat this thoroughly," Dalton notes.
Hopefully, this casserole warms your heart, and of course, your stomach.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 white onion, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, finely diced
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 10 ounce can diced tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 6 corn tortillas, halved and divided
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil, and sautée the onion and bell pepper for around 5 minutes.
- In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, chicken soup, mushroom soup, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, and cooked vegetables.
- Next, arrange half of the tortillas in an even layer at the bottom of the casserole dish. It's fine if they overlap.
- Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Sprinkle with half of the cheese.
- Repeat the layers with remaining ingredients, finishing with cheese on top. Depending on how big your casserole dish is, you may have two layers or three layers.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes until the top is bubbling and crispy.
| Calories per Serving | 504 |
| Total Fat | 34.9 g |
| Saturated Fat | 13.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.6 g |
| Cholesterol | 99.4 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 21.1 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3.5 g |
| Total Sugars | 3.1 g |
| Sodium | 864.4 mg |
| Protein | 27.1 g |
