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Kid-Friendly Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole

3.1 out of 5 stars | 28 ratings
This heart-healthy twist on a classic casserole will be devoured in minutes.

Nutrition Facts

Kid-Friendly Light King Ranch Chicken Casserole
CaloriesCalories
301 Per Serving
ProteinProtein
31g Per Serving
FiberFiber
5g Per Serving
Cost Per ServingCost Per Serving
$3.35

Ingredients

Servings  8  

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, all visible fat discarded
    OR
  • 4 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast
  • 1 10.5-ounce can unsalted or low-sodium condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 15.25-ounce can no-salt-added whole-kernel corn, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14.5-ounce can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
  • 14.4 to 16 ounces frozen stir-fry peppers and onions, thawed and drained
  • 1 4-ounce can diced green chiles, drained
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 8 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
  • 1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

Directions

Tip: Click on step to mark as complete.

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
  2. Lightly spray a large nonstick pan with cooking spray. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes on each side, or until no pink in the center. Transfer to a plate. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into cubes.
  3. Pour the condensed soup into a large bowl. Stir in the corn, tomatoes, stir-fry vegetables, chiles, and chili powder Stir in the chicken.
  4. Lightly spray a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread evenly 1/3 chicken mixture on the bottom of the dish. Top with half the tortilla strips. Repeat with 1/3 chicken mixture and remaining tortilla strips. Spread evenly the remaining 1/3 chicken mixture. Sprinkle with the cheese.
  5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. Remove from the oven. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.

Keep it Healthy: You can easily make this recipe into a healthy dip for a gathering. In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients except the tortillas (not used in this recipe) and cheese. Stir in 1 or 2 chopped fresh jalapeños (if you like spicy) and 1 15.5-ounce can no-salt-added or low-sodium black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained. Pour the mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish lightly coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly. Top with avocado chunks from 1 medium avocado. Serve with whole-grain pita chips (lowest sodium available) or baked corn tortillas chips.

Tip: No time to thaw the bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables? No problem. Just put them in a colander and rinse with cold water for a few minutes until thawed. Then, press vegetables down against the colander to squeeze liquid from them to use in recipe.

 

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