King Ranch Chicken Casserole
King Ranch chicken casserole is creamy, cheesy, hearty and seriously delicious. This family-friendly Tex-Mex dinner can be prepped ahead and is sure to please.
Yield: 8 -10 servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 ½-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 (10 oz.) can Rotel, well drained
- ¾ cup nonfat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2-3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or sub cheddar)
Optional toppings:
- Chopped fresh cilantro, sliced or diced avocado (or a dollop of guac), Greek yogurt or sour cream, diced fresh tomatoes or pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños, sliced green onions, hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour over the veggies. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and until the flour is slightly browning.
- Add the broth and stir well to combine into a smooth sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, to let the mixture thicken, then turn off the heat.
- Stir in the shredded chicken, can of Rotel and Greek yogurt. Mix well.
- Spray the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Spoon ½ cup of the chicken mixture into the bottom of the casserole dish and spread out. (It won’t cover the entire casserole dish and that’s fine.) Top with 6 tortillas followed by half of the remaining chicken mixture and half of the shredded cheese.
- Repeat with the remaining 6 tortillas then the remaining chicken mixture and remaining cheese.
- Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes for slicing and serving to allow the casserole to set up.
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Notes
Make ahead tips: You can make the entire casserole in advance. Cover your casserole dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
When ready to bake it, remove the casserole from the fridge as you preheat the oven so it can come to room temperature.
Bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes (adding 5-10 minutes to the regular bake time), until hot and bubbly. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Or...
Make ahead and freeze: Assemble the casserole. I recommend using a disposable casserole dish (like a foil one) so you’re not keeping your casserole dish hostage in the freezer. Cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap. You can also add aluminum foil, to really seal it. Freeze for up to 2 months.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed, adding 10-15 minutes to the bake time.
Storing and reheating leftovers: Once cooled, store any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. Leftovers will keep for up to 5 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave until heated through. (I like to place the slice of casserole on a microwave safe dish, then cover the top with a damp paper towel before I microwave it to help ensure it doesn’t dry out.)
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 717kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 215mg | Sodium: 744mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g
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