By Becky Hardin
Published Oct 31, 2017
KING RANCH CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE is a delicious twist on a classic. I wanted to make a fun King Ranch Chicken Recipe that’s filled with all those amazing ingredients that I love. This Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole is loaded with creamy cheese, spicy tomatoes, chunky chicken, and so much more. It will be a family favorite from the first time you make it.
King Ranch Chicken Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese is so creamy and delicious. You’re going to love this fun King Ranch Chicken Recipe!
KING RANCH CHICKEN MAC AND CHEESE makes me soooo happy (and fat)! I just know you’re going to love this fun and tasty King Ranch Chicken Recipe as much as we do. Growing up, King Ranch Chicken was one of the recipes we would request Mom make time and time again. I just love the creaminess, the creative flavor combo, and that little touch of spiciness.
Haters of King Ranch Chicken like to complain that it has Velveeta (check) and cream of mushroom soup (check check) but you guys…sometimes that’s okay. I want you to embrace it!
The Velveeta makes this Chicken Mac and Cheese EXTRA cheesy with minimal effort, and the canned cream of mushroom really is okay with me. I’m not the girl who is going to make homemade cream of mushroom soup (at least not for this recipe). If you know this blog…then you already know that by now. So let’s go ahead and just enjoy this King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese because it’s AMAZING and oh so crave worthy. No guilt here folks!
You’re going to love this flavorful King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese. It’s creamy, cheese, and sooo delicious!
King Ranch Chicken Recipe
King Ranch Chicken is kind of an unspoken classic. The mix of ingredients make the most amazing flavor, and I thought it would be fun to use this combination to make a new King Ranch Chicken Recipe.
What is King Ranch Chicken?
Here are the traditional King Ranch Chicken ingredients (and this is what we’re using in our Chicken Mac and Cheese):
- Diced Tomatoes
- Green Chiles
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Velveeta cheese
- Bell peppers
- Onions
- Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
We’re mixing up all those ingredients along with macaroni pasta to make a tasty Chicken Mac and Cheese casserole!
Traditional King Ranch Chicken recipes have bits of tortillas baked in, so I thought it would be fun to add a layer of crushed tortilla chips while baking this chicken mac and cheese. The little bit of crunch and texture goes a long way. This recipe was a hit even when I tasted it still cold (yes I have been known to do that). But of course it was even more delicious straight out of the oven. Winner winner King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese dinner!
Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole
This King Ranch Chicken recipe is just too good. There’s sooo much cheese, and it’s all so creamy.
Classic Mac and cheese is good on its own, but of course it’s even better this way! This Chicken Mac and Cheese Casserole is filled with all the most delicious ingredients, and baking them together in a casserole dish just adds so much flavor. I can’t get enough of the creaminess that the mushroom soup adds.
You really can’t go wrong with a Chicken Mac and Cheese recipe.
What are you waiting for? This King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese will absolutely blow you away! This creative King Ranch Chicken recipe is filled with so much goodness, I just can’t get enough.
See the recipe card below for details on how to make King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese. Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this chicken mac and cheese. try these other mac and cheese recipes too:
- Baked Pumpkin Bacon Mac and Cheese
- Large Batch White Cheddar Mac and Cheese
- Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Loaded Chili Mac and Cheese
- Baked Mexican Macaroni and Cheese
- Easy 15 Minutes Macaroni and Cheese Recipe
- Baked Mac and Cheese (2 Flavors!)
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 8 oz. pkg. small elbow macaroni
- ▢ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ▢ 1 medium sweet yellow or yellow onion diced
- ▢ 1 green bell pepper diced
- ▢ 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes w/green chilies (hot or mild), undrained
- ▢ 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ▢ 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup click for recipe!
- ▢ ½ cup sour cream
- ▢ 3-4 cups cooked chicken cubed (rotisserie works well)
- ▢ 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
- ▢ 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided into 2 (1-cup) portions
Garnish (optional)
- ▢ fresh cilantro chopped
- ▢ more tortilla chips
Video
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta per package directions to al dente and drain.
- While pasta cooks, heat butter and oil in a large Dutch oven, over med-high heat. Sauté onion and green bell pepper until pepper is tender and onion is translucent.
- Stir in the undrained can of tomatoes, Velveeta, chili powder and cumin. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until cheese melts.
- Remove from heat and add the creamed soup, sour cream, chicken, 1-cup shredded cheese and strained hot pasta. Stir well.
- Pour the prepared pasta mixture into the greased casserole dish. Cover with crushed tortilla chips. Sprinkle 1-cup shredded cheese on top and bake at 350°F 30-40 minutes or until casserole is bubbly in the middle.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest 5 minutes.
- If desired, garnish with drained green-chili tomatoes, chopped cilantro and more crushed tortilla chips.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 8 oz. pkg. small elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet yellow or yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes w/green chilies (hot or mild), undrained
- 8 ounces Velveeta cheese cubed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup click for recipe!
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3-4 cups cooked chicken cubed (rotisserie works well)
- 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided into 2 (1-cup) portions
Garnish (optional)
- fresh cilantro chopped
- more tortilla chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Cook pasta per package directions to al dente and drain.
- While pasta cooks, heat butter and oil in a large Dutch oven, over med-high heat. Sauté onion and green bell pepper until pepper is tender and onion is translucent.
- Stir in the undrained can of tomatoes, Velveeta, chili powder and cumin. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes over medium-low heat until cheese melts.
- Remove from heat and add the creamed soup, sour cream, chicken, 1-cup shredded cheese and strained hot pasta. Stir well.
- Pour the prepared pasta mixture into the greased casserole dish. Cover with crushed tortilla chips. Sprinkle 1-cup shredded cheese on top and bake at 350°F 30-40 minutes or until casserole is bubbly in the middle.
- Remove from oven and allow the casserole to rest 5 minutes.
- If desired, garnish with drained green-chili tomatoes, chopped cilantro and more crushed tortilla chips.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
