How to Make King Ranch Chicken Casserole - AKA That Stupid Good Taco 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.

Start with about 1-2 tablespoons of ghee in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Add 1 yellow onion and 2 bell peppers (1 orange, 1 red) to the skillet and sauté until fragrant.

Mince 4-5 cloves of garlic with 2 teaspoons of salt and a little olive oil to make it easier to mince.

Add the minced garlic to the skillet and sauté until fragrant.

Add 1/4 cup of sour cream and 1/2 block of cream cheese to the skillet and stir until melted and combined.

Add Rotel (hot version with habanero) to the mixture and stir.

In a separate bowl, combine 1.5 teaspoons each of chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, ancho chili powder, and chipotle powder, along with 1.5 teaspoons of oregano, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1.5 teaspoons of black pepper.

Stir the spice mixture into the skillet until well combined.

Prepare corn tortillas for layering in the casserole.

In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, layer half of the corn tortillas on the bottom.

Add half of the chicken (a mix of chicken thigh and chicken breast) to the skillet with the saucy mixture and stir to combine.

Layer the remaining corn tortillas on top of the chicken mixture.

Spread the remaining chicken mixture over the tortillas, ensuring an even layer.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens