King Ranch Chicken Casserole

chicken

🥗Healthier: turkey

💰Cheaper: canned chicken

Turkey is leaner; canned chicken is budget-friendly.

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Reduced-fat cheese has fewer calories; processed cheese is often cheaper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet until sizzling.

Add 1.5 cups of bell peppers and cook for 1-2 minutes until they start to soften.

Add 0.75 cup of chopped white onion and cook until fragrant.

Add 4 teaspoons of minced garlic and cook for about a minute until combined.

Season the vegetables with 1 teaspoon of chili powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, and 0.25 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the mixture and stir until it becomes pasty.

Pour in 1.25 cups of low sodium chicken broth and stir until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Turn off the heat and set the mixture aside.

In a bowl, combine 3 cooked and chopped boneless skinless chicken breasts, 3-4 ounces of cubed cream cheese, 0.5-0.75 cup of sour cream, 4.5 ounces of drained petite diced tomatoes, and 7 ounces of diced green chilies.

Add 0.5-1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the chicken mixture and mix until well combined.

Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and spread a spoonful of the chicken mixture on the bottom.

Layer with hand-torn white flour tortillas, making sure they are about bite-sized.

Add another layer of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas.

Repeat the layering process with another layer of tortillas and chicken mixture.

Finish with a final layer of shredded cheddar cheese, about 1 cup.

Bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.

Let the casserole set for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens