King Ranch Chicken is a creamy, cheesy, layered chicken enchilada casserole and Tex-Mex comfort food.
If you’ve ever lived in Texas (or eaten with Texans), you’ve probably heard of King Ranch Chicken. This dish is a staple in central and southern Texas. (They even had a deep fried version at the Texas State Fair a few years back!) It’s a popular dish for potlucks down south because it comes together quickly and travels well. It’s also one of those comfort food dishes that will make any Texan homesick. (It definitely makes me think of many, many potlucks, and making dinner with my mom and opening the cans for her to assemble the dish.)
If you’ve never had the pleasure of eating King Ranch Chicken, it’s essentially a creamy, cheesy, layered chicken enchilada casserole. Traditional enchiladas are great, but these stick to your ribs in the way that only comfort food can. (And the photos don’t begin to do the flavor justice.) Like most Tex-Mex dishes, it’s cheesy and slightly spicy, with a blend of tomatoes, corn tortillas, peppers, and onions. (The staples of any good Tex-Mex kitchen) My family likes it with a good kick, but you can tone it up or down depending on your desired level of spice.
You’re probably wondering why it’s called King Ranch Chicken right? Well, there’s no ranch dressing involved. The official origins are murky, but the most likely inspiration for its name comes from the King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the world. It’s down in Southern Texas, and I have many fond memories of driving past the King Ranch on our way to one of the border towns and even doing a school project on Henrietta King, the incredibly entrepreneurial wife of the ranch’s founder. She took over the ranch after her husband’s death, and managed to both free it from huge debts and increase its size while raising 5 children. (She was an impressive woman!)
Though it’s popular in the area, the King Ranch claims that the recipe wasn’t invented at the ranch (they’re more well-known for their beef, not chicken.) It’s likely we’ll never have an official origin, but I’ve heard plausible theories that the dish is a Tex-Mex take on chicken a la king (a creamy mixture of chicken, mushrooms and bell peppers), and just adopted the King Ranch name to make it sound more “Texan.” Whatever its origins, I promise it will be a hit with your family!
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King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 55
Description
King Ranch Chicken is a creamy, cheesy, layered chicken enchilada casserole and Tex-Mex comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (10 ounce) can Ro-Tel (diced tomatoes with green chile peppers)
- 12 corn tortillas
- 3 cups cooked, diced chicken breast meat
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325.
- Add olive oil to a medium skillet. Add onions and bell peppers and cook down until softened, about 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, combine softened onions and peppers, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, chicken broth, un-drained Ro-Tel, chili powder, and garlic salt.
- Spray a 9×13 (2 qt) casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- Layer 1/2 the tortillas, 1/2 the chicken, 1/2 the soup and veggie mixture, 1/2 the cheese, then repeat layering with remaining tortillas, chicken, soup, and cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, or until brown and bubbling.
- Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken goes great in this dish!
- If you can’t find Ro-Tel, you can use a can of regular diced tomatoes and a 4-ounce can of diced green chiles.
- Gluten-free: The condensed soups are not gluten-free. Use my gluten-free substitute for “cream of” soupsto make this gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
Meal Plan Monday 3/9-3/15:
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This meal plan is designed to feed approximately 4 adults at each meal or two adults with lunches left over. Feel free to double or add to it as needed. **You’ll need to open it with the free Adobe Reader App (Android or iOS) to be able to use the check boxes on mobile, so install that first if you don’t have it already.**
Monday: This King Ranch Chicken Casserole (gluten-free option, dairy-free option) – Tex-Mex comfort food at its finest!
Tuesday: Crock-pot Pumpkin Lentil Stew from Laa Loosh (gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan option) – When it’s chilly out in the winter, I love a good stew. This one’s delicious, low fat and vegetarian, and easy to throw together in the crock-pot.
Wednesday: Slow Cooker Fennel Chicken with Orange from Empowered Sustenance (gluten-free, dairy-free) – This dish looks pretentious and combines so many amazing flavors and smells, but you only have to slice a few things and toss them into the crock-pot!
Thursday: Spicy Turmeric Twice Baked Potatoes from The Healthy Family and Home (gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan) – baked potatoes are usually stuffed with tons of butter and dairy. These are a nice, low-fat twist with tons of flavor! (Note: I doubled this recipe, I didn’t choose all organic spices, and I purchased rather than made my almond milk for this recipe. Make your own decisions on those.)
Friday: Swiss Chard and Ricotta Pie from I Breathe I’m Hungry (gluten-free, low-carb) – I broke a gear on my mixer while making pizza dough last week (don’t worry, it can be fixed!), so I’m taking a break from Friday Pizza Night this week until we get a new part in. These ricotta and chard mini-pies are a great way to pack in some greens and have a yummy and filling crust made from sausage.
Saturday: Date Night – Eat Out.
Sunday: Y.O.Y.O. (You’re on your own.)
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This looks like the perfect comfort food. I have seen the recipe before, but never tried it! I think I will have to! I found you from OrgJunkie! Now following your social medias!
Thanks for the follows! You should definitely try it out! It’s always a hit anytime I make it!
What a great spin on the King Ranch! I’ve never had it because I’ve only seen it filled with potatoes. I love potatoes but have no control! Linking up from Hump Day Happenings.
That is really interesting Aimee because I’ve never seen it made with potatoes! I wonder if it’s a different dish with a similar name? This recipe came from a multi-generation Texas family, so it’s definitely the “traditional” version. (I have even seen it at the Texas History museum- we take our King Ranch Chicken seriously!) This is definitely a recipe you should try (though I’m biased), and you can healthy it up a bit by making your own “cream of” soups with the recipe I linked in the recipe notes section.
Hi there Stephanie! Thanks so much sharing my Spicy Turmeric Twice Baked Potato recipe in your Meal Plan…you have a delicious week planned out! 😉
You’re welcome! They are delicious Karielyn! I can’t believe how easy they are, and yet still vegan and gluten-free. (I did take the shortcut and use my crock-pot to bake them though.)