King Ranch Chicken Casserole is a cozy, comfort food classic with melty layers of chicken, tortillas, and cheese. And this authentic, from-scratch version features a simple homemade sauce with NO canned condensed soups! Show
If you're a fan of this recipe, you'll also LOVE King Ranch Chicken Soup! And if you enjoy chicken casseroles in general, this Chicken Enchilada Casserole is also great! If you happen to be from and/or reside in the great state of Texas, odds are you already know and love the wonder that is King Ranch Chicken Casserole. 🙂 If you happen to reside in another state but you've had it before, well, lucky you! And if you've never had it before, now's your chance to change that, no matter where you live! Because the cheesy, scrumptious recipe that I'm sharing today is truly what I consider to be a comfort food classic. The HistoryFounded in 1853 in south Texas, the King Ranch remains one of the largest ranches in the world. And while the ranch has a fascinating and storied history, King Ranch Chicken Casserole seems to be a tribute in name only, with no record of it being historically connected to the actual cattle ranch in any way. Nevertheless, this is a cozy, gooey, cheesy casserole whose appeal is as vast as the state of Texas! I like to think of this dish as the one that (in part) won me the heart of my husband. You see, this recipe was the main course of the first dinner that I ever cooked for him. I believe I served it with a high-brow side dish of canned ranch-style beans and Frozen Margarita Pie for dessert. To this day, my hubby will tell you that when I cooked him that first meal of King Ranch Casserole, he just knew he had to marry me. So it goes without saying that this has been a regular recipe in our dinner rotation for all of our years of wedded bliss! 😉 Authentic and From-ScratchI adapted this King Ranch Chicken recipe from my childhood friend/college roommate's mom's recipe...and I consider that recipe to be pretty darn authentic since she is a multi-generational native Texan! That being said, since college, I'd always made this recipe using the standard can of Cream of Chicken soup plus can of Cream of Mushroom soup. And let me tell you...using those cans, it always turned out dee-li-cious. NO Canned SoupsHowever, when I had kids of my own, I stopped buying condensed 'Cream of X' soups in favor of making my own simple sauces, from béchamel to cheese sauce. Why do I love from-scratch sauces so much???
So it only made sense to replace the canned soups in traditional King Ranch Chicken Casserole with an easy homemade sauce instead! IngredientsSo what does it take to make the aforementioned from-scratch sauce? And what else goes into this King Ranch Chicken Casserole recipe? For the SauceIn a matter of minutes, a few simple ingredients transform into a thick and creamy sauce that puts canned soup to shame. And I promise that it's so easy! So step away from the can opener, friends... 😉
For the King Ranch CasseroleIn addition to the homemade sauce, you'll also need:
How to Make King Ranch Chicken CasseroleIt really is a super easy recipe. Here's the scoop! After you've cooked and shredded your chicken... Make the Homemade Sauce:
Assemble the Casserole:
Gluten-Free VersionAs I mentioned above in the "Ingredients" section, it's a snap to make King Ranch Casserole gluten-free by simply using a gluten-free flour blend in the homemade sauce. Easy peasy! Enjoying Your King Ranch ChickenI particularly love this recipe for the way the tortillas soften into the sauce, causing the scrumptious layers to practically meld together. You can garnish with fresh cilantro, sour cream, salsa, and/or diced avocado if you like. Or you can just enjoy the steamy simplicity of chicken, tortillas, and cheese without any adornments. Any way you slice it, I'm telling you...King Ranch Chicken Casserole is ultimate. Comfort. Food. Adults love it. Kids love it. Even persnickety toddlers can't wait to get their little mitts on it... So thank you to my childhood friend's mama for first introducing me to this recipe. Thank you to my significant other for liking it enough to marry me. And thank YOU for bringing joy to your family by adding these ingredients to your grocery list and making it for dinner this week! I promise...King Ranch Chicken Casserole will be an instant keeper in your recipe file. One last warning, though. If you happen to be single, be sure to wield the power of this casserole with great care. After all, this is a recipe that's entirely capable of eliciting marriage proposals down the road. 🙂 More Comfort Food Classics
BEST King Ranch Chicken CasseroleKing Ranch Chicken Casserole is a cozy, comfort food classic with melty layers of chicken, tortillas, and cheese...and this authentic, from-scratch version features a simple homemade sauce with NO canned condensed soup! Print Pin Rate Course: Main Course Cuisine: American Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour Servings: 8 servings Calories: 469kcal Author: Samantha Skaggs Ingredients
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Calories: 469kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 374mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 810IU | Vitamin C: 5.6mg | Calcium: 333mg | Iron: 2.5mg Made this recipe? I'd love to see on IG!Mention @FiveHeartHome or tag #FiveHeartHome! Post originally published on September 28, 2014, and updated on October 22, 2019, and February 3, 2022. What is King Ranch chicken made of?King Ranch chicken is a Tex-Mex casserole with unknown origins, though it's assumed the dish is named after King Ranch, Texas. The casserole consists of pulled chicken, canned soup, green chiles, corn tortillas, sour cream, veggies, and lots of cheese.
Why is it called King Ranch Chicken?King Ranch chicken is a Tex-Mex casserole. Its name comes from King Ranch, one of the largest ranches in the United States, although the actual history of the dish is unknown and there is no direct connection between the dish and the ranch.
What do you serve with King Ranch?What to Serve with King Ranch Chicken?. 1 – Creamy Mashed Cauliflower. ... . 2 – Delicious Baked Beans. ... . 3 – Southern Black Eyed Peas. ... . 4 – Cilantro Lime Rice. ... . 5 – Garlic Roasted Broccoli. ... . 6 – Zesty Sweet Potato Fries. ... . 7 – Cornbread. ... . 8 – Dilled Cucumbers.. What is in a casserole?A casserole can have layers, as in the case of an Italian lasagna or a deep-dish pizza, or composed of some evenly distributed combination of veggies, a protein, and a starchy binder. A casserole is often a one-pot meal that involves combining the ingredients in an oven-safe dish and baking them.
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