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Easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This easy shortcut version of the classic King Ranch Chicken Casserole takes just 10 minutes to prep with the same cheesy Tex-Mex flavors. Kid-friendly layers of chicken, cheese, cream soup, and tortilla chips - not corn tortillas!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 550

Ingredients
  

  • 1 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup (For an extra creamy chicken casserole, add 1/2cup chicken broth or another can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup.)
  • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained ((such as Rotel))
  • 2 cups shredded or chopped rotisserie or any cooked chicken
  • 3 cups tortilla chips
  • 2 cups pre-shredded Mexican blend, Colby Jack, or Cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chili seasoning mix ((such as McCormick or see NOTE to make your own))

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
  2. Stir together cream of chicken soup, diced tomatoes and green chiles, and chili seasoning mix in a large bowl.
  3. Coat a 9x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray or grease with butter or oil.
  4. Arrange half of the tortilla chips on the bottom of the casserole dish to cover the bottom of the dish. Gently press down to flatten but not finely crush.
  5. Spoon or pour half of soup mixture over the chips.
  6. Layer half of the chicken and half of the cheese on the soup mixture.
  7. Repeat these layers with remaining chips, tomato mixture, chicken and cheese.
  8. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 25gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 350mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 150IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg

Notes

  • For an extra creamy texture, consider adding 1/2 cup of chicken broth or an additional can of cream of chicken or mushroom soup to the mixture.
  • To prevent dryness, make sure to monitor the casserole closely in the last 10 minutes of baking; it should be bubbly and the cheese should be melted and slightly golden.
  • If you're short on time, using a rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut; just shred it and skip the cooking step.
  • For a spicier kick, opt for spicy diced tomatoes with green chiles or add a few dashes of your favorite hot sauce to the soup mixture.
  • This casserole stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days; to reheat, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until heated through.

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