King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole is made with layers of tender chicken, creamy sauce, cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips. This Tex-Mex casserole will be a new family favorite!

I love a casserole. They are so comforting. This one is one of our favorites but two more that stay on steady rotation are this Monterey Chicken Spaghetti and this Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole. 

The first time I was served this casserole I expected it to taste like well like – ranch. But it turns out it was named for the King Ranch (like with horses and cattle) where it was first invented rather than a seasoning.

If you’re a history buff like me you might be interested to know that the King Ranch is a real working ranch near Corpus Christi, Texas. This ranch listed on the National Register of Historic Places. King Ranch was also the inspiration for the epic movie Giant which starred Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. But enough about that lets get to the recipe.

How to make King Ranch Casserole with Chicken:

Ingredients: 

• Chicken (prepared and shredded)
• Tortilla Chips
• Onion
• Green Bell Pepper 
• Cream of Chicken Soup
• Cream of Mushroom Soup
• Tomatoes and Chilis (ex. Ro-Tel)
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Hot Sauce (optional) 
• Olive Oil

1. Prepare and shred the chicken. Set it aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Prepare and shred the chicken. Set it aside.
4. In a large sauce pan heat olive oil then sauté the onions and bell pepper until tender. Add the garlic to the pot and cook until garlic is fragrant, about one minute. 
5. Add the tomatoes and chilies and stir to mix  with the onions, peppers and garlic. 
6. Next add the Cream of Chicken Soup and the Cream of Mushroom Soup to the pot stir until both soups are well combined. If you are adding hot sauce to your casserole add it to the soup mixture and mix.
7. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with about half the tortilla chips. 
8. Next layer the shredded chicken on top of the chips. 
9. Pour half of the soup mixture over the chicken then top with shredded half cheddar cheese.
10. Repeat layers starting with the tortilla chips, then shredded chicken, and soup mixture.
11. Top the casserole with more shedded cheddar cheese and the mozzarella cheese. 
12. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. 
13. Garnish with parsley and more crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Substitutions and Variations:

Change the Protein: This casserole is great with a pound of ground beef. To swap the chicken for ground beef simply brown the ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper then substitute ground beef into the recipe for chicken.

Get Cheesy With It: You can use any cheese or combination of cheese you you want for this casserole. Some suggestions are: Cheddar, Mozzarella, Colby, Monterey Jack, Provolone, Parmesan or even American Cheese. 

Make it Healthier: Make your own Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom Soup.

Give It a Little Kick: If you want to make this spicy without adding hot sauce or you just like spicy food you could add diced jalapeños to this casserole. Just add in the amount of jalapeños you’d like over the cheese in the first layer of the casserole. 

Garnish it with Olives: If your family loves olive you can add a can or sliced black olives over the top once the casserole comes out of the oven. Be sure to drain the liquid from the can before sprinkling them over the casserole.

Notes and Tips:

This casserole can get a little messy for easier clean up try lining the casserole dish with foil then spraying it with non-stick cooking spray, 

I’ve made the casserole for years and one thing that I have learned from making it many different ways is that this is a very versatile recipe. Once you have all the basic ingredients you really can make it your own by adding any flavors you’d like.  

When the casserole comes out of the oven it will be very hot. If you have little ones or you just don’t want to burn your own mouth I recommend letting it sit and cool for about 5 minutes before serving. 

Storage: 

Refrigerator: Leftover an be kept in a tightly sealed container in the fridge for 2-4 days. 

Reheating Uncut Casserole: To reheat casserole place in a 350°F oven for 15 -20 or until heated through. 

Reheating Individual Servings: Reheat smaller servings in the microwave in 30 second increments, turning the plate between each until heated through. 

Freezer: I do not recommend freezing this casserole as the tortilla chips will become soggy and separate from the cheese in the freezing the thawing process. 

I hope you and your family will love this recipe as much as we do! If you do try this recipe please come back and leave a comment letting me know how much you liked it! 

Happy Cooking Y’all!

Susanne 

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King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole is made with layers of tender chicken, creamy sauce, cheese, and crunchy tortilla chips. This Tex-Mex casserole will be a new family favorite!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Chicken Dinner, King Ranch Cassrole, King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 475 kcal

Ingredients

• 3 cups chicken prepared and shredded
• 10 oz. bag tortilla chips lightly crushed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion diced
• 1 cup green bell pepper diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 10 oz. tomatoes and chilies
• 10.5 oz. cream of mushroom soup
• 10.5 oz. cream of chicken soup
• ½ teaspoon hot sauce optional
• 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded

Instructions

1. Prepare and shred the chicken. Set it aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.
3. Prepare and shred the chicken. Set it aside.
4. In a large sauce pan heat olive oil then sauté the onions and bell pepper until tender. Add the garlic to the pot and cook until garlic is fragrant, about one minute.
5. Add the tomatoes and chilies and stir to mix with the onions, peppers and garlic.
6. Next add the Cream of Chicken Soup and the Cream of Mushroom Soup to the pot stir until both soups are well combined. If you are adding hot sauce to your casserole add it to the soup mixture and mix.
7. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with about half the tortilla chips.
8. Next layer the shredded chicken on top of the chips.
9. Pour half of the soup mixture over the chicken then top with shredded half cheddar cheese.
10. Repeat layers starting with the tortilla chips, then shredded chicken, and soup mixture.
11. Top the casserole with more shedded cheddar cheese and the mozzarella cheese.
12. Place in the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
13. Garnish with parsley and more crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Recipe Notes

Nutritional information is estimated. Amounts will vary based on ingredient choices and serving sizes.

Nutrition Facts

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 serving)

Calories 475 Calories from Fat 270

% Daily Value*

Fat 30g46%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Trans Fat 0.04g

Polyunsaturated Fat 6g

Monounsaturated Fat 10g

Cholesterol 59mg20%

Sodium 940mg41%

Potassium 334mg10%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 19g38%

Vitamin A 586IU12%

Vitamin C 21mg25%

Calcium 336mg34%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.