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King Ranch chicken in a large green casserole dish with a serving spoon and a portion missing. A plate, a dish towel and a bowl of spices next to it.
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4.93 / 13 votes

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch chicken. It's a classic American casserole that many recall as the best thing from their childhood. It's chicken and roasted peppers layered with tortillas and cheesy goodness. One taste and you may want to rewrite your early years.
Prep Time1 hour 20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 to 12 servings
Calories: 738

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter or mild vegetable or olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
  • 1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
  • 1 cup chopped poblano pepper (about 2 medium peppers)
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cups store-bought or homemade chicken stock
  • One (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 2 pounds smoked chicken meat, coarsely chopped (about 5 cups shredded or chopped chicken; you can substitute roasted or grilled chicken)
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • Eighteen (6-inch) corn tortillas
  • 1/4 cup mild vegetable or olive oil, for frying the tortillas
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly slick a 13-by-9-inch (33-by-23 cm) baking dish with butter or oil.
  • Melt the butter or heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and the bell pepper, poblano pepper, and jalapeño peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
  • Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Still stirring constantly, slowly stir or whisk in the stock and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture thickens, which could take anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  • Add the tomatoes and sour cream to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the chicken and cilantro and stir again until blended.
  • Combine the cheeses in a small bowl.
  • Place a large cast-iron skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Lightly brush each tortilla on both sides with oil. Cook the tortillas, working with just a couple at a time, on the hot skillet or wok until lightly browned and crisp, flipping once, about ‘timer minutes=1]1 minutes per side[/timer].
  • Cover the bottom of the prepared baking dish with 6 tortillas, overlapping the tortillas slightly. Top with 1/2 of the chicken mixture and 1/3 of the cheese mixture. Repeat the layers once, adding 6 more tortillas and the remaining chicken mixture and 1/2 the remaining cheeses. Top with the remaining tortillas and cheese.
  • Lightly coat a sheet of aluminum foil with butter or oil and cover the baking dish, butter or oil side down. Bake the casserole for 20 minutes.
  • Uncover the casserole and continue to bake until bubbly and lightly browned on top, 10 to 15 more minutes.
  • Let the casserole stand 10 minutes to cool slightly and then sprinkle with cilantro, serve, and prepare to be serenaded by compliments.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 738kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 60g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 162mg | Sodium: 873mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g