King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a classic Texas casserole and comfort food made with layers of chicken, tortillas, and melty cheese. A dinnertime favorite, this homemade version features a delicious made-from-scratch sauce with no canned condensed soups.

A Texas Chicken Casserole

This King Ranch chicken casserole is about as comforting as it gets! Filled with classic Tex-Mex flavors and ingredients, it’s the ultimate weeknight dinner option and makes for even better leftovers! It reminds me a little bit of sour cream chicken enchiladas but is WAY cheesier. Made with layers of chicken, cheese, corn tortillas, and a thick creamy gravy, this casserole is completely addicting – in the best way possible.

In this version, we’re ditching the canned condensed soup and making our own sauce from scratch. I’m not a fan of store-bought condensed soup, especially when it’s so easy to make our own by mixing up a quick roux and adding sour cream and cream cheese for extra creaminess.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• Onion and Green bell pepper: Classic additions to this King Ranch chicken casserole, the sautéed onions and bell peppers add texture and a subtle sweetness.
• Garlic: Add more garlic for a more pronounced garlic flavor.
• Chili powder: For a smoky, slightly spicy flavor. For added warmth, add a teaspoon of ground cumin.
• Salt and Black pepper: To taste.
• All-purpose flour: To thicken the sauce. Whole wheat flour or gluten-free flour will also work.
• Chicken broth: The chicken broth mixes with the roux to create the base of the gravy. You may swap the chicken broth for whole milk or half and half, but be extra careful not to bring it to a rapid boil, as it may curdle.
• Sour cream: Added to the sauce for extra tanginess and creaminess.
• Cheese: For this dish, I’ve chosen freshly shredded Colby Jack cheese, but shredded cheddar or a blend of Mexican cheeses would also work. For best results, shred your own cheese rather than purchasing pre-shredded cheese that comes in a bag.
• Cream cheese: Since we’re not using canned condensed soup, I like to include a little cream cheese for extra creaminess.
• Shredded chicken: I prefer using cooked and shredded chicken breasts. Chicken breasts have a milder flavor and are lighter than chicken thighs. Rotisserie chicken is a great time-saving option if it’s available.
• Rotel tomatoes: You can purchase mild, medium, or spicy canned Rotel tomatoes (with or without the green chilies) to add heat to the dish (if you want it).
• Corn tortillas: The corn tortillas are layered into the casserole in the same way as lasagna noodles, providing structure and texture to the overall dish. As they cook, they absorb liquid from the sauce, causing them to soften slightly. They’re essential for authenticity. If you do not like corn tortillas, flour tortillas may be used instead, but the flavor will be quite a bit different.

How to Make King Ranch Chicken Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a large 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

• Tip: You can also use two 8×8 or 9×9 baking dishes instead and freeze one for later.

2. Sauté the veggies and aromatics: Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Once the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook until softened about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, salt, and black pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. Make the Sauce: To make the sauce, sprinkle the veggies with all-purpose flour, stirring continuously for about a minute or two until the flour is completely incorporated with the veggies and the flour turns from white to golden brown. Add the chicken broth, stirring continuously, until the flour is dissolved in the broth, then add the sour cream and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes (if necessary, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer). Finally, stir one cup of the shredded cheese and the softened cream cheese until fully melted.

4. Add the chicken and Ro-Tel: Once the sauce has been prepared, add the cooked and shredded chicken plus the drained can of Ro-Tel tomatoes. Once incorporated, remove from the heat.

5. Layer the casserole: Tear half of the corn tortillas into quarters or long strips and add them to the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Spread half of the cheesy chicken sauce over the tortillas in an even layer, then sprinkle with half of the remaining cheese. Repeat with the remaining corn tortillas, cheesy chicken sauce, and shredded cheese.

6. Bake: Transfer to the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly around the edges. Garnish with sliced green onions, cilantro, avocado, or homemade salsa, if desired.

Serving King Ranch Chicken

This casserole is as delicious as it is comforting. While it’s perfectly fine to serve it on its own, I like to offer at least one side dish that’s a little less heavy. Favorite side dishes include Spanish rice, black beans, a light green salad, tomato salad, or roasted veggies.

Making Ahead and Freezing

You can assemble this King Ranch chicken casserole ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. If freezing, wrap the casserole tightly in both plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.

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• Baked Spaghetti Casserole Recipe
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• Crack Chicken Casserole
• Chicken Noodle Casserole
• Browse all of my Casserole recipes.