King Ranch Yellow Casserole has such a unconfined Tex Mex flavor! It’s a creamy, cheesy, comforting dinner recipe that you’ll want to make over and over!
A HEARTY CASSEROLE RECIPE
King Ranch Yellow Casserole is a archetype Tex-Mex dish that is sure to wilt a family favorite. This hearty and flavorful casserole is made with layers of tender chicken, corn tortillas, a linty filling, and of course, cheese! It is the ultimate weeknight dinner option (that moreover makes for fantastic leftovers!)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S):
What is King Ranch Casserole?
King Ranch Casserole is a layered dish that is made with corn tortillas, chicken, cheese, and a Tex Mex style sauce.
Why do they undeniability it King Ranch Chicken?
The name “King Ranch” supposedly comes from the King Ranch, which is one of the largest ranches in the United States, located in South Texas. The casserole was named without the ranch considering it was believed to have originated there. However, as with all good recipes, there are variegated theories well-nigh the word-for-word origins of this dish and no one can find an very connection to the ranch itself. But I bet that some hungry ranchers loved this filling and hearty casserole without a long, nonflexible day in the sun on the ranch!
Can I use this as a freezer meal?
Certainly! This would be a unconfined one to make a double batch of, enjoy one now and have one in the freezer for later or split it up into to two smaller square pans if you don’t need as much. Make two 8×8-inch pans (disposable pans are unchangingly nice- no dishes!) Since this recipe calls for a good value of ingredients and some prep time, I think if you’re going to do all that shopping and prep work, might as well get two meals out of it! As always, just make sure you wrap it well to protect versus freezer burn.
Do I have to use rotisserie chicken?
Nope! I used rotisserie yellow instead of using yellow breast or flipside cut of yellow that I’d have to melt up and increase the prep time plane more. But, if you don’t want to use rotisserie chicken, you can use yellow breast, yellow thighs, legs, etc. and melt them fresh, shred the meat and use that instead. Cooking it up fresh moreover allows you to season it how you like while cooking.
Can I use a variegated ‘cream of something’ soup?
Sure! When I was looking to see what was most wontedly used, surf of yellow and surf of mushroom were the most popular soups used. I used the combination of the two and enjoyed it. But, you can use just one or the other, or any other savor philharmonic you prefer. If you want to go a step remoter and make them homemade, I have recipes for both right here: Homemade Surf of Yellow Soup, Homemade Surf of Mushroom Soup.
Could I substitute the yellow for flipside meat?
Well, this is a King Ranch Yellow recipe, so it’s in the name, but if you wanted to swap out the yellow for ground beef, I think that would be a succulent substitution.
Can I use variegated cheese?
You bet. Instead of cheddar, try it with Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, or Pepper Jack.
How to store and reheat leftovers?
Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days in an snapped container. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat leftovers in the microwave, or imbricate them with foil and toss them in the oven until warmed through.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
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onion, untried tintinnabulate pepper and red tintinnabulate pepper – if you don’t like tintinnabulate peppers then just leave them out.
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petite diced tomatoes – we prefer the smaller shit of tomatoes but use what you can find. You will not phlebotomize the juices from the can.
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cream of yellow soup – or you can make homemade surf of yellow soup.
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cream of mushroom soup – or you can make homemade surf of mushroom soup.
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chopped untried chiles – do not phlebotomize the can. I don’t think these add much heat considering this one little can is spread throughout the whole dish but if you are sensitive to any spice at all then leave it out.
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chicken stock – this adds flipside layer of savor to the casserole but you could substitute with some milk.
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sour cream – this adds the creaminess to the dish. Plain Greek yogurt can be substituted for the sour cream.
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chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder – you can substitute these spices and replace with a packet of taco seasoning if that is what you have on hand.
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shredded cooked chicken – I went with rotisserie yellow but you can use any other cooked yellow you’d like to use.
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shredded cheddar cheese – other cheeses can be used, see my FAQ’s above.
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white corn tortillas – these can be swapped out for flour tortillas or yellow corn tortillas.
HOW TO MAKE KING RANCH CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch sultry dish with cooking spray and set aside. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the onion, untried tintinnabulate pepper, and red tintinnabulate pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes.
While the veggies are cooking, make the sauce by stirring together the diced tomatoes, surf of yellow soup, surf of mushroom soup, chopped untried chiles, yellow stock, sour cream, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder together until well combined. Add the cooked veggies and stir everything together.
Add well-nigh ½ cup of the sauce mixture to the marrow of the sultry dish and smooth it out. Add ½ of the shredded chicken.
Spread ½ of the leftover sauce on top. Followed by ⅓ of the shredded cheddar cheese.
Lay out half of the cut tortillas on top. On top of the tortillas, add the remaining chicken, followed by flipside ⅓ of the cheese.
Spread out the remaining tortillas. Smooth out the remaining sauce.
Top with the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbly withal the edges and the cheese is very lightly browned.
Allow to set up for 10 minutes surpassing garnishing with cilantro if using and serve.
King Ranch Yellow Casserole
Ingredients
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2 Tablespoons salted butter
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1 medium onion, small diced
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1 medium untried tintinnabulate pepper, small diced
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1 medium red tintinnabulate pepper, small diced
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14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)
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10.5 ounce can surf of yellow soup
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10.5 ounce can surf of mushroom soup
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4 ounce can chopped untried chiles (do not drain)
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½ cup chicken stock (or broth)
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½ cup sour cream
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1 teaspoon chili powder
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1 teaspoon garlic powder
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1 teaspoon ground cumin
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1 teaspoon onion powder
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3 cups shredded cooked chicken
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4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
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12 (5-inch) white corn tortillas, cut into 6ths
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fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch sultry dish with cooking spray and set aside.
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In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter. Once melted, add the onion, untried tintinnabulate pepper, and red tintinnabulate pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes.
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While the veggies are cooking, make the sauce by stirring together the diced tomatoes, surf of yellow soup, surf of mushroom soup, chopped untried chiles, yellow stock, sour cream, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and onion powder together until well combined.
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Add the cooked veggies and stir everything together.
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Add well-nigh ½ cup of the sauce mixture to the marrow of the sultry dish and smooth it out.
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Add ½ of the shredded chicken, spread ½ of the leftover sauce on top, followed by ⅓ of the shredded cheddar cheese.
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Lay out half of the cut tortillas on top.
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On top of the tortillas, add the remaining chicken, followed by flipside ⅓ of the cheese.
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Spread out the remaining tortillas.
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Spread on the remaining sauce.
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Top with the remaining cheddar cheese.
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Bake for 35-40 minutes until bubbly withal the edges and the cheese is very lightly browned.
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Allow to set up for 10 minutes surpassing garnishing with cilantro (if using) and serve.
Notes
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Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list whilom for other substitutions or for the answers to the most worldwide questions.
