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A healthier take on the classic southern casserole, this Skillet King Ranch Casserole features rotisserie chicken, veggies, green chiles two ways, dried spices, and tons of shredded cheddar cheese.
Growing up in Texas, this chicken casserole was always at potluck dinners. With its cheesy filling and topping, colorful veggies, and plenty of heat, what’s not to love? Some old-fashioned versions take shortcuts with a can of condensed soup. We’re not doing that here, but I promise it’s still super easy without much prep work—and it all comes together in under one hour. With a handful of fresh veggies, dried spices, and a few other pantry staples, this will give you all of the nostalgic King Ranch casserole vibes with more flavorful, nourishing ingredients.
I love to make this for my family or even when entertaining. It’s made in one skillet, which makes it easy to serve to a crowd. Plus, it means that clean-up will be a breeze. Whether you grew up eating this dish or it’s your first time trying it, I hope y’all love my take on this Tex-Mex staple.
ingredients:
- Avocado Oil
- Red Bell Pepper
- Yellow Onion
- Poblano Pepper
- Jalapeño Pepper
- Baby Bella Mushrooms
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Rotisserie Chicken
- Garlic Cloves
- Ground Cumin
- Dried Oregano
- Ground Cayenne Pepper
- Cassava Flour
- Chicken Broth
- Canned Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles
- Canned Diced Green Chiles
- Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
- Corn Tortillas
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Fresh Cilantro
step-by-step:
step one: preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
step two: cook the vegetables
Add the bell peppers, onions, poblanos, jalapeños, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
step three: add the chicken
Add the chicken, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Sprinkle in the cassava flour and stir until well combined and coated in the chicken and veggie mixture, lightly toasting the flour, about 2 minutes.
While stirring, slowly pour in the broth until it is well incorporated. It should be very thick. Reduce the heat to low.
step four: add the tortilla strips and cheese
Stir in the can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, green chiles, and yogurt until well combined. Add the corn tortillas, lime juice, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Gently fold into the mixture until well combined. Spread into an even layer and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
step five: bake the casserole
Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melty, bubbly, and lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
step six: garnish and serve
Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes for the sauce to settle and to cool slightly. Garnish with fresh cilantro, serve, and enjoy!
recipe faqs:
I like to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe, which makes prepping so much easier. You could also use a combination of cooked chicken breasts and thighs. Feel free to use whatever you have in your fridge—it’s a great way to use up leftovers!
Don’t worry! I love using cassava flour to make this dish gluten-free, but you can easily use all-purpose flour instead.
While my kids enjoy this recipe, you can always omit the jalapeño pepper from the casserole!
I hope you and your family love this Skillet King Ranch Casserole as much as mine does! Let me know if you make it for dinner!
Looking for more chicken dinner recipes? Try these!
Herby Chicken and Orzo Skillet
Creamy One-Pot Lemon Feta Chicken with Orzo
Skillet King Ranch Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 cup finely diced red bell pepper (from about 1 bell pepper)
- 1 cup finely diced yellow onion (from about 1/2 yellow onion)
- 1 cup seeded and finely diced poblano pepper (from about 1 poblano)
- 1/4 cup seeded and finely diced jalapeño pepper
- 1 cup finely diced baby Bella mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups chopped cooked chicken
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons cassava flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, such as Rotel
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
- 6 (6-inch) round corn tortillas, halved and sliced into 1/2-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- chopped fresh cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Heat the oil in large deep oven-safe skillet (or 3.5-qt braiser) over medium-high heat.
- Add the bell peppers, onions, poblanos, jalapeños, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken, garlic, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine. Sprinkle in the cassava flour and stir until well combined, lightly toasting the flour, about 2 minutes.
- While stirring, slowly pour in the broth until it is well incorporated. The mixture should be very thick. Reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the can of diced tomatoes and green chiles, green chiles, and yogurt until well combined. Top the corn tortilla strips, lime juice, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Gently fold into the mixture until well combined. Spread into an even layer and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Transfer to the oven and bake until the cheese is melty, bubbly, lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes for the sauce to settle and to cool slightly. Garnish with fresh cilantro, serve, and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and styling by Eat Love Eats.
We LOVE this recipe!! Super easy and quick to make!! It is very flavorful and great as leftovers. We use rotisserie chicken and have used flour and corn tortillas, both are yummy!!
Delicious! I topped with cilantro, sliced avocado, sour cream, and Cholula and served with Mexican cornbread.
For those wanting to make ahead, I made up to Step 6, covered skillet and placed in fridge until dinner time. Baked in oven a little longer, maybe 30 min until bubbly. Came out perfect!
Could you assemble/ cook it on the stove top and then bake it the next day?
Hi Alex,
Loved King Ranch growing up! Is this freezer friendly if I were to make ahead?
yes this freezes well!
Hi Alex!
Is there anyway to make this dairy free while maintaining the flavor?
Love all your recipes!!
Yes! There are so many great plant-based dairy products out there that you can use in place of the Greek yogurt and cheddar cheese.
A new DD fav! Quick, easy, and SO good!
This brought back all the great flavors of the nostalgic king ranch casserole I ate growing up! Next time I make it I’ll add a few more tortillas. It was a hit with the whole family! Thanks, Alex!
Wow, this was so good! As always, your recipes fit our tastes perfectly. I did use fresh roasted hatch chiles, but otherwise did the recipe to the T and we both LOVED it! Thanks Alex!!!!!
Thank you Gretchen!
This was so good! My husband ate this without grumbling so definitely family friendly. I used Siete Cassava tortillas and that worked well.
I love this version of King Ranch chicken, easy and delicious.
So glad to hear that. Thanks Linda!