King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe
Servings: 8
Calories: 289kcal
This King Ranch Chicken Casserole is packed with incredible Tex-Mex flavors and of course loads of cheesy goodness. This simple recipe is perfect for a family dinner and can be made ahead of time.
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Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 bell peppers (color of your choice) , chopped
- 1 small yellow onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies* , drained
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese ,shredded and divided
- 2 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 15 flour flour tortillas (Fajita Size) , torn into bite-sized pieces
For Topping
- Cilantro
- Diced Green Onions
- Sliced Avocado
- Your Favorite Salsa
- Sour Cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Alternately, you can use a 2 quart casserole dish.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with the salt, pepper and paprika. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Sear the chicken in the skillet until they reach an internal temperature reaches 165°F, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. When cooled, chop the chicken into bite sized pieces.
- In the same pan you cooked the chicken in, melt the butter and then stir in the onion, bell peppers and garlic. Saute until they start to soften, approximately 5 minutes.
- Stir in the flour until it gets pasty and then pour in the chicken broth, stirring to smooth. Season the gravy with the cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper (optional) and adjust to taste.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the gravy, chopped cooked chicken, sour cream, diced tomatoes and green chilies, cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese then stir to combine. The mixture will be thick.
- In the prepared 13x9 inch pan spread a thin layer of the chicken gravy mixture then put torn tortillas over the top. Repeat this layering of gravy and tortillas three times then top with the remaining 1 cup of the cheddar cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes on the center rack until bubbling and enjoy topped with green onion, cilantro or avocado.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Video
Notes
- Store leftover King Ranch Chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- You can use either flour or corn tortillas for this casserole. Personally, I enjoy flour but either work great.
- To make the chicken casserole spicier you can add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or diced jalapeno pepper.
- I love green chiles so I use a can of diced tomatoes AND a small can of diced green chiles.
Nutrition
Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 329mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 245mg | Iron: 1mg
