King Ranch Chicken Casserole (Dairy-Free)
Last Updated on April 27, 2023 by Annie
Filling, zesty, and oh so satisfying, this dairy-free, made from scratch, king ranch chicken casserole is a weeknight dinner favorite. Made without any canned soups, this dairy-free casserole features layers of creamy, seasoned chicken, and salty tortilla chips.
King Ranch Casserole is a Tex-Mex staple. With the name hailing from The King Ranch this creamy chicken casserole makes a delicious dish that is sure to satisfy your hungriest eaters.
Traditional King Ranch Casserole features cream of chicken soup, Ro-tel, Velveeta cheese, shredded cheese and more! It’s comforting, indulgent, and loaded with dairy.
After testing through a number of recipes, we finally landed on a casserole perfect for the dairy-free folks in your life. With just a few changes, this made from scratch, dairy-free king ranch casserole is sure to be a family favorite.
Why we Love This King Ranch Chicken Casserole
It doesn’t take much to get me on board with a comforting casserole, here are just a few reasons we love this casserole:
- Hearty. This is one of those cozy, stick to your bones kind of meals. Packed with layers of creamy spicy fillings and salty tortilla chips, this casserole makes a hearty dish that will keep you full.
- Plenty of left-overs. With at least 8 servings (depending upon your serving size) this meal is perfect for eating a few nights out of the week.
- Freezer Friendly. I have made this recipe many times for stocking the freezer before babies as well as splitting and freezing for a future date. It thaws and reheats like a dream.
Dairy-Free Changes to King Ranch Chicken Casserole
This recipe is adapted from The Cookie Rookie’s King Ranch Chicken Casserole. Her version is void of cream of anything soups and over-processed cheeses which made it a perfect starting point for going dairy-free.
Some of the dairy-free changes we have made to this recipe include:
- Swap butter for plant butter. When you make the roux, plant-based butter melts down perfectly and has all the flavor.
- Replace sour cream with full fat coconut milk. I have also made this a few times using oat milk in place of the full fat coconut milk. The taste is just as creamy and delicious.
- Omit the cheese. Plain and simple.
How to Make Dairy-Free King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken– I like to use a rotisserie chicken for this recipe- already baked and deliciously seasoned.
- Plant-based butter– Used to cook the vegetables.
- Veggies– A blend of onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic.
- Spices– Chili powder, ground cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper season the filling.
- Flour- To make a roux with the melted butter.
- Chicken broth + Lime juice– Creates a creamy sauce that coats the vegetables.
- Rotel– Adds a light hint of tomatoes and green chilies to the filling.
- Full Fat Coconut Milk– gives the saucy filling a creamy finish.
- Cilantro– For flavor.
- Tortilla chips– lightly crumbled between layers of the creamy filling.
Step-By-Step Directions
- Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Shred chicken: Shred a rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside until later.
- Melt butter: In a deep skillet (I used a 5-quart braiser) melt vegan butter over medium heat.
- Add vegetables: Once melted, add diced onion, bell pepper, and jalapeño to the pan.
- Cook vegetables until softened, stirring as you cook.
- Season: Next, add garlic and seasoning to the pan. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to coat.
- Make roux: Using a whisk, slowly whisk in chicken broth to create a roux.
- Add the liquids: Continue adding the chicken broth slowly and whisking in until all of the chicken broth is added.
- Bring to boil: Add the lime juice and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Mix in remaining ingredients: Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in rotel, coconut cream, shredded chicken, and cilantro. Set aside and begin making the casserole.
- Assemble the casserole:
- Chips: In the base of the prepared 9×13-inch baking pan make a lightly crushed later of tortilla chips.
- Chicken mixture: Spoon half of the creamy chicken filling over the crushed tortilla chips.
- Chips: Lightly crush another layer of tortilla chips over the layer of creamy chicken filling.
- Chicken mixture: Spoon the remaining half of the king ranch chicken filling over the second layer of tortilla chips.
- Chips: Crush the remaining tortilla chips over the top of the casserole and cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Bake uncovered: After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
Toppings for King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Honestly you can eat this dairy-free casserole plain but I am always down to top it up like a taco bar! Here are some of my favorite ways to dress up this comforting casserole.
- Fresh avocado
- Homemade guacamole
- Chopped cilantro
- Diced red onion or green onion
- Fresh salsa
- Homemade pico de gallo
- Dairy-free sour cream
- Vegan cheese shreds
- Siete foods queso
Storing, Freezing, and Re-heating King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Once you have made this creamy, from scratch king ranch chicken casserole here are the best ways to store your leftovers or stash it away as a freezer meal for later eating.
- Store- Keep this king ranch casserole in the refrigerator in a covered, air-tight container.
- Freeze– If you plan to make this dish for a freezer meal DO NOT BAKE. Assemble in a freezer safe dish up until the step for baking and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- When you are ready to bake, remove from the freezer the day before and thaw in the refrigerator.
- Bake covered for 30 minutes at 375°F and then remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.
- Re-heat– To reheat this dish, scoop out your desired amount and re-heat in the microwave until you reach your desired temperature.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
This King Ranch Casserole comes together with the help of a few kitchen tools such as:
- Deep 9×13-inch baking dish- With the filling layers of chicken and chips, you’re going to want to make sure you have a deep pan to bake it in.
- Deep skillet- I used a 5-quart braiser but I know they run a pretty hefty price tag so make sure whatever skillet you go with can hold at least 5-quarts.
More Dairy-Free Dinner Ideas
If you tried this King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe feel free to leave a comment below! I would love to hear how it went! Or, snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @mylifeafterdairy to share all your life after dairy adventures!
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King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Zesty layers of creamy chicken and salty tortilla chips come together in this filling, dairy-free king ranch chicken casserole.
Ingredients
- 1 Rotisserie Chicken (4-5 cups shredded chicken)
- 4 Tablespoons Plant-based butter
- 1 Onion diced
- 1 Bell Pepper diced
- 1 Jalapeño seeded and diced
- 2 pods Garlic minced or microplaned
- 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Cumin ground
- ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ cup Flour
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- 2 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 10 oz Rotel
- 1½ cup Coconut Milk Full Fat
- 1 cup Cilantro chopped
- 10 oz Tortilla Chips
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a 9×13-inch baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray and set aside.
-
Shred a rotisserie chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside until later.
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In a deep skillet (I used a 5-quart braiser) melt 4 Tablespoons vegan butter over medium heat.
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Once melted, add 1 diced onion, 1 diced bell pepper, and 1 seeded and diced jalapeño to the pan.
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Cook vegetables until softened, stirring as you cook. Next, add 2 pods minced garlic, 1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tablespoon cumin, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper to the pan. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
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Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the vegetable mixture and stir to coat. Using a whisk, slowly whisk in chicken broth to create a roux.
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Continue adding the chicken broth slowly and whisking in until all 2 cups of the chicken broth is added. Add 2 Tablespoons lime juice and bring the mixture to a boil.
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Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in 10-ounce can of rotel, 1½ cup full-fat coconut milk, 4-5 cups shredded chicken, and 1 cup chopped cilantro.
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In the base of the prepared 9×13-inch baking pan make a lightly crushed later of tortilla chips.
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Spoon half of the creamy chicken filling over the crushed tortilla chips. Lightly crush another layer of tortilla chips over the layer of creamy chicken filling.
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Spoon the remaining half of the king ranch chicken filling over the second layer of tortilla chips.
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Crush the remaining tortilla chips over the top of the casserole and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
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After 30 minutes, remove the foil and continue to bake another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.
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