I’ve always been on a mission to change the stigma surrounding one of my favorite dinners: the casserole. You may be picturing a plate full of slop, flavorless and bland. I’m telling you, that’s not the way it has to be! Every time I concoct a casserole I make sure it’s filling, easy, and, above all, delicious. You just know that a name like king ranch chicken casserole will check all those boxes. How can you go wrong with this list of ingredients? We have chiles, lots of chicken, the creamiest sauce, corn tortillas, cheddar cheese, and plenty of seasoning. While it may look a little lengthy, just give it a quick glance. See? Pretty easy, I know. I bet you’ve been looking for a way to use up these ingredients that have been hanging out in your kitchen, anyways.
Olive oil – Other types of oil that are suitable for sautéing are avocado, vegetable, canola, grapeseed, safflower, and sunflower. Onion – Any type. Even a few shallots would do. Bell pepper – I used a red bell pepper, but you can use any color. Condensed soup – Both cream of mushroom and cream of chicken. Diced tomatoes – Crushed tomatoes can work in place if you don’t want the pieces of tomato. Chicken broth – Or any type of broth you have handy. Canned chiles – I used a whole 4oz can. You can substitute freshly chopped jalapeño, poblano, or Anaheim peppers. These canned green chiles are not spicy at all, quite mild. Chili powder – Homemade or your favorite store-bought variety. Garlic powder – Use as much or little as you like. Chicken – Pre-cooked and shredded. If you have a little more or less than the recipe calls for, that will be fine. Cheese – I used cheddar. You can use gouda, Monterey Jack, Colby, red Leicester, or even Gruyere. Tortillas – Corn or flour. Up to you! Chives – For garnish. Some freshly chopped cilantro will work too.
Do I Have To Use Condensed Soup?
Some of us love using condensed soups in recipes like this, and some wince at the thought. No matter where you stand on this polarizing debate, there’s another route you can take! You can simply make this recipe for bechamel instead. To make enough for this casserole, hover your cursor over the number of servings in the bechamel recipe card. Use your cursor to drag the number of servings to 15, giving you 2.5 cups of milk. Bechamel, also called “white sauce”, is a base for many recipes, including “cream of” soups. You can add simple simple herbs, spices, sautéed veggies (like celery, carrots, or mushrooms) to your bechamel to create a more similar replication of the condensed soup.
Get Creative With Your Chicken
Today I’ve called for 3 cups of chicken. This is equivalent to what you’ll get from 1 whole cooked chicken. I love having the mixture of white and dark meat! You can cook up a whole chicken, or just use breasts, thighs, or drums. Get skinless to make your life easier. Here are some of my favorite chicken recipes you can use to add a bit more flavor and pizzazz to your casserole:
Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Baked Chicken Breast Instant Pot Chicken Breast Pressure Cooker Whole Chicken Spatchcock Chicken Beer Can Chicken
Leftovers
If there is quite a bit leftover, you can keep the leftovers in the casserole dish and cover it well with plastic wrap or foil. Otherwise, transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. To reheat, use the microwave. You can also use preheat the oven to 350F, cover the casserole dish with foil, and bake for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
How To Freeze
Baked
Unbaked
Other Delicious Casseroles To Try
Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole No Peek Chicken Rice Casserole Chicken Pasta Casserole Quick and Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole Cabbage Roll Casserole Deconstructed Stuffed Pepper Casserole Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole One Pot Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
