The best thing about this recipe is that it’s made from scratch, which means there is no canned soup involved. Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole is layered with corn tortillas, Mexican cheese, sour cream, and shredded chicken. It makes a great make-ahead freezer meal. You will never have a better king ranch chicken casserole than this!
What is Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole?
Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole is comfort food at its best! This casserole originated in Texas and has been a potluck favorite for years! This casserole is known for utilizing canned soup and Rotel tomatoes. For the creamy factor, Pioneer Woman used sour cream instead of canned soup, and Jared hot salsa over Rotel tomatoes for extra heat and extra flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- There is nothing simpler or more delicious than this casserole. It’s loaded with cheesy goodness.
- The perfect dish for a potluck or serving to a crowd, this king ranch casserole recipe bakes up to about 10 servings, making it a great meal to serve to a large group. Also, this casserole makes for tasty leftovers.
- It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and the oven does the rest for you! That’s right, it is easy to prepare this cheesy and delicious casserole with just one skillet and a baking dish.
What is the Best Chicken for Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole?
You’ll need cooked, shredded, or diced chicken for this Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole recipe, however, a variety of options will work.
Pick the most convenient method for you:
- Boiled and Pulled Chicken: Boil 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs until cooked through (about 20 minutes). Once cool enough to handle, chop or shred the chicken. You should have about 3 cups (more or less) of shredded chicken.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Take advantage of this great shortcut by purchasing a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shredding the meat, and using it as directed.
- Leftover Chicken: Make this casserole with leftover grilled or baked chicken from a previous meal.
- Canned Chicken: This Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole can even be made with canned chicken!
Ingredients That You’ll Need:
The printable recipe below includes the full ingredient list and measurements.
- Onion & Garlic: You can use yellow or red onion diced!
- Cooked shredded chicken: You can use shredded chicken breasts or thighs as well as rotisserie chicken in this Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole recipe.
- Salsa: To make it a little spicier, you could use hot salsa instead of regular.
- Sour cream: This dish has a creamy texture due to the cream. You can also substitute Greek yogurt for a healthier version.
- Green chilies: You don’t have to worry about adding heat since they are very mild and have a great flavor.
- Shredded cheese: While I prefer the 4 cheese Mexican blend, pepper jack, Monterey jack, cheddar, and Colby jack can all be used.
- Corn tortillas: They are cut into smaller pieces and layered between the filling. Flour tortillas can also be used!
- Bell pepper: Adding a pop of color! Red, yellow, or green are easy choices. You can also do tri-color!
What to serve with Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole?
- Mexican Salad
- Creamy Confetti Corn
- Refried Beans
- Spanish Rice
- Ramen Noodle Salad
- Guacamole
- Corn and Black Bean Salad
- Red Potato Salad
What are the best toppings for Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole?
- Guacamole
- Sour cream or greek yogurt for a lighter option
- Pico de gallo
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced red onion / sliced radish
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced or pickled jalapeños
- Black olives
How To Make Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole?
- Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.
- The next step is to add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- In a large bowl, combine sautéed peppers, onions, and garlic with chicken, sour cream, salsa, green chilies, cilantro, chili powder, and cumin.
- Cut the tortillas into small pieces.
- In a 13×9-inch baking dish spread 1/4 of the chicken mixture.
- Next, top with 3/4 cup of the cheese then a layer of cut tortillas, repeat two more layers.
- After that spread the last 1/4 of chicken filling and the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese on top.
- Finally, bake your Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Variations
- Make it spicy: If you prefer more heat in your casserole, use a can of spicy Rotel. I often use mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies because they have a slight kick, but don’t overpower the dish and make it too spicy for the kids.
- King Ranch Chicken with Tortilla Chips: If you prefer a crunchier casserole, use coarsely crushed tortilla chips instead of corn tortillas.
- King Ranch Chicken with Doritos: Add more flavor and crunch to the dish by layering the chicken filling with coarsely crushed Doritos (any flavor will do).
- Try different cheeses: You can also use Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack (for a spicy Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole), or Colby cheese in place of the cheddar.
FAQ Section
Yes! Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole is the ultimate prep-ahead meal to get dinner on the table quickly and easily — even on busy nights. After assembling the casserole, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to a day. When ready to bake, let it sit at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before putting it in the oven.
To freeze Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole before baking, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, cover with foil, and store for up to 3 months. Thaw Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole overnight in the refrigerator, then allow it to come to room temperature on the counter for 30 minutes, follow the recipe instructions for baking.
Cover the Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole with foil for the first 30 minutes, and then bake the frozen casserole for about 15-30 more minutes (uncovered), or until heated through.
You can keep leftover baked Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze the leftover baked casserole for 3 months in an airtight container.
You can either microwave the casserole or heat it in a skillet with a splash of water and cover it until it is fully heated. You can also reheat a baked Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole covered in the oven at 350 degrees until it is thoroughly heated.
Microwave your Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole in increments of 30 to 60 seconds until it is heated to your satisfaction; in most cases, 2 minutes is more than enough time to get your casserole to the desired temperature.
Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 326.7
- Total Fat 12.5g
- Saturated Fat 6.6g
- Cholesterol 75.2mg
- Sodium 439.7mg
- Potassium 672.6mg
- Total Carbohydrate 26.7g
- Dietary Fiber 4.3g
- Sugars 1.3g
- Protein 27.4g
- Vitamin A 23.4%
- Vitamin C 20.1%
- Calcium 18.9%
- Iron 10.9%
King Ranch Casserole Pioneer Woman
Description
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s made from scratch, which means there is no canned soup involved. Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole is layered with corn tortillas, Mexican cheese, sour cream, and shredded chicken. It makes a great make-ahead freezer meal. You will never have a better king ranch chicken casserole than this!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F.
- The next step is to add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- In a large bowl, combine sautéed peppers, onions, and garlic with chicken, sour cream, salsa, green chilies, cilantro, chili powder, and cumin.
- Cut the tortillas into small pieces.
- In a 13×9-inch baking dish spread 1/4 of the chicken mixture.
- Next, top with 3/4 cup of the cheese then a layer of cut tortillas, repeat two more layers.
- After that spread the last 1/4 of chicken filling and the remaining 3/4 cup of cheese on top.
- Finally, bake your Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Make it spicy: If you prefer more heat in your casserole, use a can of spicy Rotel. I often use mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies because they have a slight kick, but don’t overpower the dish and make it too spicy for the kids.
- King Ranch Chicken with Tortilla Chips: If you prefer a crunchier casserole, use coarsely crushed tortilla chips instead of corn tortillas.
- King Ranch Chicken with Doritos: Add more flavor and crunch to the dish by layering the chicken filling with coarsely crushed Doritos (any flavor will do).
- Try different cheeses: You can also use Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack (for a spicy Pioneer Woman King Ranch Casserole), or Colby cheese in place of the cheddar.
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 326.7
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 12.5g20%
- Saturated Fat 6.6g33%
- Cholesterol 75.2mg26%
- Sodium 439.7mg19%
- Potassium 672.6mg20%
- Total Carbohydrate 26.7g9%
- Dietary Fiber 4.3g18%
- Sugars 1.3g
- Protein 27.4g55%
- Vitamin A 23.4 IU
- Vitamin C 20.1 mg
- Calcium 18.9 mg
- Iron 10.9 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Toni Chapman
Saturday 18th of June 2022
YUM YUM! It's just me so I cut in half. Used 3 small cans of chicken (making it even easier) couldn't find my cumin powder so had to use a sprinkle of the seed. No cilantro as I don't like the taste of it. There is PLENTY for a family of 4 IMO! Soo Good. Thank you!!