King Ranch Chicken Casserole

5 from 2 votes

Bake this easy king ranch chicken casserole recipe with Rotel, cheese, and tortillas for a delicious Tex-Mex meal! King ranch casserole is perfect for weeknight dinners or potlucks. The ultimate Southern comfort food!

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Chicken, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex

Servings: servings

Calories: 641kcal

Author: Angela Lietzke

Equipment

9x13" baking dish

Ingredients

4 cups chicken cooked and cut into bite sized pieces
12 corn tortillas
1 onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 jalapeno pepper diced
10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup
10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes with green chilis
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese freshly shredded
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese freshly shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13" baking dish.
In a large bowl, combine the onions, peppers, cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, Rotel, and all of the spices. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the two cheeses. Set aside.
Layer 1: Add half of the cooked chicken to the bottom of the greased dish.
Layer 2: Cover chicken with a single layer of corn tortillas. About 6 tortillas.
Layer 3: Using a spatula, evenly spread half of the sauce mixture over the tortillas.
Layer 4: Sprinkle with half of the of cheese.
Repeat the steps one more time to make a two layer casserole.
Bake at 375°F, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.
Let the casserole rest 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with cilantro and serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

Notes

Adjust the spice level. You can make this casserole as mild or as spicy as you would like depending on the spice level of Rotel you use (I like to use hot Rotel) and the amount of chili powder and cayenne you add to the sauce mixture. Use more or less depending on your taste preference.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through.
Make Ahead: This is a great casserole to make ahead. Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours in advance, refrigerate, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking as directed.
Freeze the assembled casserole tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before baking.

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