King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

I love a good, easy prep, easily frozen casserole and this one is all of that and more. Start with some cooked chicken and a few pantry items and dinner is practically on the table. When my kids were younger I would assemble this recipe in two 8″ square dishes and freeze one for later in the month but now my kids eat seconds and then there is just enough for a couple of leftover lunches the next day. This recipe is from Southern Living Magazine and I have been making it for the past 11 years!

The ingredients are easy enough to find. I usually use a can of mild Rotel but forgot to pick one up so I used a can of diced tomatoes and a can of diced green chiles instead. 

Start by sauteing the onions and bell pepper. 

When the peppers and onions are softened add the rest of the ingredients. I cooked some boneless chicken tenders before I went to work in the morning but you could use a rotisserie chicken if you are short on time.

Cut four of the tortillas in to little pieces and get to layering in your handy dandy 9×13 dish. 

Looking cheesy, which is a good thing in my opinion. 

There ya go, cheesy, slightly spicy, melty comfort in a pan. I served mine with a salad on the side. 

Southern Living King Ranch Chicken Casserole

1 large onion, chopped

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1 (10-ounce) can diced tomato and green chiles

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt (Edit: I left this out, the soups are salty enough)

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 (6-inch) corn tortillas

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

Sauté onion and bell pepper in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken and next 7 ingredients; remove from heat.

Tear tortillas into 1-inch pieces; layer one-third of tortilla pieces in bottom of a lightly greased 9×13″ baking dish. Top with one-third of chicken mixture and 2/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice.

Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes.

Note: Freeze casserole up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight, and bake as directed.

Recipe Rave: Panera CopyCat Broccoli Cheese Soup

I found a recipe several years ago on Pinterest for a Panera copycat broccoli cheese soup but made some changes in the prep to streamline the process and make it smoother. It is very delicious and even my kids love it. This soup is even better than the ones we have tried at Panera and McAlister’s Deli. I hope you love it too!

Look at all of those veggies. This must be good for you, right? The first few times I made this I used yellow or white rainbow carrots so they wouldn’t stand out in the final product. The first time I used orange carrots my youngest said that I had never put them in before and I had to explain to her that they were always in there, just not noticable. Yep, she loves broccoli but dislikes carrots. Go figure. 

While the vegetables are simmering I prepare the spices. I forgot to put the bay leaf in with the broth and vegetables. I get sidetracked a lot. 

Here is what the veggies look like before mashing…

…and after.

I used shredded sharp cheddar and diced Velveeta cheeses. Velveeta isn’t absolutely necessary but I like the smoothness it adds. Swiss, Gruyere, and/or Gouda cheeses in any combination would all work fine too. 

After the butter and flour are whisked smooth and bubbling, stir in the spices until mixed. 

Stir in the milk and half and half and heat until thickened, about 1-2 minutes. 

Add the cheeses and stir until melted but not boiling. There may still be a few lumps if you use Velveeta but they will eventually melt. You could use this sauce on steamed or roasted broccoli or cauliflower or add some cooked pasta for homemade mac and cheese. This is a multitasker.

Pour in the veggies and broth mixture and simmer until heated through but not boiling. 

There you go. Smooth, rich, delicious broccoli cheese soup. Garnish if you desire with extra cheese. 

Panera CopyCat Broccoli Cheese Soup

• 1 small bunch of fresh broccoli, chopped 

  3/4 cup of shredded carrots

  1 small yellow or white onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)

  1 large clove garlic, minced

• 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (I used 1 1/2 tsps Better than Bouillon plus water) 
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 TBSP all purpose flour
• 3 TBSP butter
• 3/4 cup of milk (I used 1%)
• 1/4 cup half and half
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp allspice
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp dried basil
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 oz diced Velveeta Process Cheese
• Any other bits and pieces of cheese that melt well, such as Gouda or Swiss

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Place broccoli, carrots, onions, garlic, broth, and bay leaf in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.  When done, remove and discard bay leaf and mash vegetables with a potato masher until no super large chunks remain. 
2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter on low heat, then whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour until smooth. Simmer while whisking constantly for 1 minute, then stir in all of the spices until evenly distributed.  Pour in milk and half and half. Whisk until smooth and mixture begins to boil. Yep, you just made a roux. Or gravy. Whatever. 
3. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in cheeses until mixture is smooth. Do not bring to a boil, just make sure no large lumps remain. This alone would be good on steamed broccoli or cauliflower. 
4. Pour in the veggies and broth mixture and continue to stir over medium low heat until the soup is just about simmering. 
5. Chow down.