King Ranch Casserole Pioneer Woman
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
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken thighs
- 16 ounces sour cream
- 16 ounces jarred salsa use either hot, medium, or mild
- 4.5 ounces chopped green chiles
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 12 ounces shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 15 corn tortillas
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 504kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 34gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 864mgPotassium: 598mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1535IUVitamin C: 28mgCalcium: 627mgIron: 2mg
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