King Ranch Chicken Casserole
The BEST king ranch chicken casserole! This easy, from scratch version is made without canned soup. Cheesy, creamy, and ready in 30 minutes!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 red bell peppers chopped
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 poblano pepper chopped
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- ½ tablespoon ground chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make gluten free)
- 1 cup unsalted chicken broth or water
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups shredded or diced cooked chicken breast about 1 medium breast (for cooking tips, see this post on How to Cook Shredded Chicken, Baked Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, or Instant Pot Chicken)
- 1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles drained (10 ounces)
- 3 (6-inch) corn tortillas torn into rough 1-inch pieces
- ⅔ cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese divided
For Serving:
- Chopped fresh cilantro optional
- Nonfat plain Greek yogurt optional
Instructions
- Place a rack in the upper third of the oven (usually the second-most slot from the top) and preheat the oven to broil.
- In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not yet smoking. Add the bell pepper, onion, poblano, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 to 9 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and salt and stir constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook, still stirring constantly, until they are thoroughly coated and the white bits of flour disappear, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the broth and bring to a boil. Stir and cook until the mixture is somewhat thickened, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low.
- Break the cream cheese into the skillet in bits. Stir until melted. Gently stir in the chicken, diced tomatoes, torn tortillas, and half of the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Place the skillet under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Do not walk away. Watch the skillet the entire time to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot with a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Notes
- TO STORE: Store king ranch chicken in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- TO REHEAT: Gently rewarm leftovers in a large ovenproof skillet in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. You can also reheat this dish in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: King ranch chicken may be stored in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 4 (without toppings)Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 27gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 64mgPotassium: 716mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2630IUVitamin C: 116mgCalcium: 316mgIron: 3mg
