King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This casserole is a made from scratch dish using leftover smoked chicken. So easy to prep in advance and just pop into the oven!

Course dinner

Cuisine tex-mex

Keyword casserole, chicken, king ranch

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1 20

Servings servings

Calories 423kcal

Author Bruce and Dina Miller

Equipment

Casserole pan
pot
spoon
Cheese grater

Ingredients

Ingredients for the King Ranch Chicken sauce:

1 stick butter
4 cloves garlic shredded
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne optional
2 cups of milk
2 cups chicken broth
7 ounce can green chilies
14 ounce can of tomatoes and peppers Rotelle
6 grinds fresh black pepper

Ingredients used to layer in the King Ranch Casserole:

3 cups chopped smoked chicken can also use purchased rotisserie chicken
15 corn tortillas
16 ounce freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese
7 ounce cheddar cheese freshly shredded, and divided
4.2 ounce can of sliced Pearl olives drained
2 fresh jalapeños seeded and sliced
1/4 cup white vinegar
Fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

Instructions for making the King Ranch Chicken sauce:

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven. Add in the shredded garlic. Sprinkle in flour, and stir with a wooden spoon and cook down for at least 5 minutes while stirring to form a roux. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, pepper and stir to blend and cook down a few minutes more. If you like it hot, add cayenne.
1 stick butter, 4 cloves garlic shredded, 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 6 grinds fresh black pepper
Now it is time to add the milk and broth. Bring to a simmer, while stirring. Add in the green chiles and tomatoes. Add black pepper, and if you like it spicy add in the cayenne pepper. Continue to stir and cook to allow mixture to slightly thicken. It will still be a soupy consistency, but don’t worry, it will soak up in the casserole.
2 cups of milk, 2 cups chicken broth, 7 ounce can green chilies, 14 ounce can of tomatoes and peppers

Instructions for assembling the King Ranch Chicken Casserole:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and spray a large deep casserole dish with oil. Place the sliced jalapeños in vinegar to do a quick pickle while you bake the King Ranch casserole.
2 fresh jalapeños seeded and sliced, 1/4 cup white vinegar
Starting with torn corn tortillas, begin to layer as though you are making a lasagne. Overlap the corn tortillas in the pan. Now ladle on some of the sauce, and the chicken, and some shredded cheddar and monterey jack cheese. Be sure to save some of the cheese to put on top when you bake. Repeat these steps, with the final layer being tortillas. Now put a layer of sauce on the top of this.
3 cups chopped smoked chicken, 15 corn tortillas, 16 ounce freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 7 ounce cheddar cheese
If you are going to make ahead, allow this to set up a bit, and then cover with plastic wrap to put in the refrigerator. To prepare, just remove the plastic wrap and place on a rimmed cookie sheet into oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes. You want to look for it to be bubbling on the sides to know it is heated through.
At this point, remove from oven and put cheddar over the top, and then bake until bubbly. Remove from oven and scatter the olives, and jalapeños over the top. Sprinkle with cilantro. You can also serve the jalapeño on the side.
7 ounce cheddar cheese
We like to serve this with a few things on the table to put on top. We have sour cream, salsa, extra black olives, and sliced avocado. We also serve black beans on the side.
4.2 ounce can of sliced Pearl olives, Fresh cilantro for garnish, 2 fresh jalapeños seeded and sliced

Nutrition