Easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole (No Canned Soup)
King Ranch Casserole is a Southern staple at any potluck or dinner table, bringing bold flavors and serious comfort. This Lone Star dish is packed with shredded chicken, sautéed peppers, a creamy homemade sauce, shredded cheese, and Rotel tomatoes, all layered between crispy tortillas. It’s hearty and cheesy, baked until bubbly and golden.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 red bell pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1 poblano pepper (seeded and chopped)
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 3 ½ cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 10-Ounce can Rotel tomatoes and chilies, drained
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese (shredded)
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese (shredded)
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425º.
- Spray both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray and place in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown. Let cool and then break into bite-size pieces.
- Add butter to a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook until they have softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook an additional minute. Add chicken broth and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced by about ⅓, 8-10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the flour, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the chicken, Rotel tomatoes and chilies, heavy cream, sour cream and salt. Mix to combine.
- Spread half of the baked tortilla chips on the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish. Add half of the chicken mixture, cover with ½ of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layers and bake for 15-20 minutes until it is bubbly around the edges and the cheese has melted. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- Make sure to let it rest before serving to keep the layers intact.
- You don't have to use rotisserie chicken, here are some ways to roast chicken, it only takes about 30 minutes.
- You can easily make this more mild by using mild Rotel, using a bell pepper instead of a green pepper and using Monterey Jack cheese instead of pepper jack.
Nutrition
Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1419mg | Potassium: 299mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1923IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 501mg | Iron: 2mg
