King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Southern casserole. It’s a tortilla casserole with delicious Tex-Mex flavors.
Why is this a Southern casserole? Its name comes from King Ranch in Texas, one of the largest ranches in the United States. The actual history of the King Ranch Chicken Casserole is unknown, and there does not appear to be a direct connection between the dish and the ranch. This casserole has long been a favorite for Texas community cookbooks and cafeterias.
Ingredients needed:
- unsalted butter
- yellow onion
- garlic
- sliced mushrooms
- cayenne pepper
- ground cumin
- all purpose flour
- chicken broth
- milk
- sour cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- corn tortillas
- shredded rotisserie chicken
- salsa
- grated mild cheddar cheese
- sour cream and green onion, for garnish (optional)
How to make King Ranch Chicken Casserole:
The complete, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12×7-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and golden. Add the mushrooms, cayenne and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and release their juices.
- Blend in the flour and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the broth, milk, sour cream, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes until thickened.
- Cover the bottom of the prepared dish with 4 tortillas, then layer the remaining ingredients in the dish this way: ½ diced chicken, ⅓ mushroom mixture, ½ salsa, ½ cheese, then ⅓ of the remaining mushroom mixture, then the remaining tortillas, chicken, salsa, cheese, and finish with the remaining mushroom mixture.
Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
Top the casserole with dollops of sour cream and some chopped green onions, Alternately, you can top individual servings instead. I’m thinking guacamole would be a good addition too!
This is a great, family-friendly kind of dinner. Everyone should be happy with King Ranch Chicken Casserole! Enjoy!
The Best Casserole Recipes:
King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 8 ounces sliced white or baby bella mushrooms
- ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 taco-sized corn tortillas, softened
- 3½ cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 16 ounces salsa (mild or hot)
- 1½ cups grated mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 12×7-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and golden. Add the mushrooms, cayenne and cumin and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and release their juices.
- Blend in the flour and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the broth, milk, sour cream, salt and black pepper and cook, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes until thickened.
- Cover the bottom of the prepared dish with 4 tortillas, then layer the remaining ingredients in the dish this way: ½ diced chicken, ⅓ mushroom mixture, ½ salsa, ½ cheese, then ⅓ of the remaining mushroom mixture, then the remaining tortillas, chicken, salsa, cheese, and finish with the remaining mushroom mixture.
- Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
