Name: King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; 1 cup white onion (diced); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 5 cups cooked chicken (any variety; chopped); 2 cups sour cream; 16 ounces salsa verde (jarred); 10 ounces diced tomatoes and green chiles; 4 ounces green chiles; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 20 corn tortillas (cut into fourths); 4 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)

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King Ranch chicken casserole is a spicy, cheesy chicken dish loaded with all the flavors of the Southwest. We know you’ll love it as much as we do!

I’ll be honest, before we made this King Ranch chicken, I’d never heard of it. Which is weird considering I lived in Texas for seven years.

Apparently, this chicken casserole origin’s are matter of debate. Most people believe it originated at the King Ranch in Texas.

A slice of king ranch chicken on a white plate.

However, according to Houstonia, (a magazine based in Houston, Texas), as of 2016, the family has never taken credit for the recipe.

I read over the article, written by Victoria Haneveer, and it was extremely interesting.

The author included details about the history of King Ranch Chicken. I’ve included a link to the article here.

A close-up view of the casserole as it's cooling.

Well, that article got me curious about King Ranch itself. So, I decided to Google them.

They have an informative website with links to the history of the ranch dating all the way back to 1853.

If you’re curious about the origins of the King Ranch, I encourage you take click this link to their website. You could even book a tour!

How to make King Ranch Chicken?

There are only five (5) steps to making this Tex-Mex infused casserole. We’re providing some recipe information below.

The recipe card is listed at the bottom of the page along with detailed instructions. Use the pictures found in the post to help you through the process.

Garlic, chicken and other ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. and spraying a nine (9) by thirteen (13) in casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray.

After that, cook the onions with butter over low to medium heat until they’re soft. Toss in the garlic just before the onions are done.

Next, grab a large mixing bowl and combine the chicken, cumin, garlic, green chiles, onions, sour cream, salsa verde, and tomatoes.

The garlic, chicken and other ingredients have been mixed.

Now, cut up the tortillas and lay part of them into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle some of the filling over the tortillas. Then, add some of the cheddar cheese.

The chicken filling layered over tortilla pieces.

That’s the first layer of the King Ranch chicken.

Keep repeating tortillas, filling, cheese over and over until all the ingredients are gone.

More tortillas have added to the cheese and filling.

By the time you’re done, the topping should be shredded cheddar. Once everything is gone, toss the chicken casserole into the oven.

Let it bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

A top-down view of the baked king ranch chicken casserole.

Last, let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. That’s it, the King Ranch chicken is done!

Kim and I hope you enjoy the dish and we wish you all the best!

Can you freeze King Ranch chicken?

Yes, it can be frozen before or after it bakes. If you freeze it, then set it in your fridge to thaw before baking.

A piece of the finished casserole served on a plate.

How do you make King Ranch chicken from scratch?

That’s an easy one to answer; however, it would take a lot of steps. Including, making your own salsa verde, seasoned chicken, and diced green chiles and tomatoes.

Top-down view of a large square of king ranch chicken.

Other Casserole Recipes to Try:

Don’t forget to check out our King Ranch Casserole web story!