This classic King Ranch Chicken Casserole is creamy and cheesy and full of Tex-mex flavor. It has just enough spice to give it a little kick of flavor but not too spicy for the kids.

This recipe could very well be called the state casserole of Texas! It’s named after one of the oldest ranches in Texas and has classic Tex-mex flavor. It’s smooth and creamy with layers of chicken and cheese and a homemade mushroom gravy.

Ingredients Needed:

(scroll down for complete recipe with measurements and instructions)

• butter, I salted butter for everything 
• onion
• bell pepper
• mushrooms 
• all purpose flour
• chicken broth
• whole milk 
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder 
• chili powder
• diced tomatoes with green chilies, I use mild but you can use whichever level of spice you prefer
• cooked and shredded chicken
• corn tortillas
• shredded Monterrey Jack cheese  

How to Make King Ranch Chicken Casserole: 

• First you make the gravy by sautéing the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms in the butter. Sprinkle the flour on top and brown and stir for just a minute or two. Add the broth, milk, and seasonings and whisk till smooth and thickened. 
• Add the diced tomatoes with green chilies and the chicken to the gravy and stir to combine.
• In a large casserole pan (I use a 4 quart pan) layer corn tortillas, the chicken mixture, and cheese. 
• Pour broth over everything and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the filling is bubbling. 
• Serve and enjoy! 

The first time I ever had this casserole was at my friend Leah’s house many years ago when we were both young moms (and lived in Texas. She still does but I’m in Colorado now). It was soo good and I immediately asked her for the recipe. I have adapted it some to make the onions and bell peppers less crunchy to satisfy my kids and I also make the gravy instead of using canned cream soup. It’s a family favorite recipe that has long had a place in my recipe box. I hope y’all enjoy it! 

Happy Eating! 
~Rachel Ballinger ☕️💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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King Ranch Chicken Casserole

This classic King Ranch Chicken Casserole is creamy and cheesy and full of Tex-mex flavor. It has just enough spice to give it a little kick of flavor but not too spicy for the kids.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Texan

Keyword Casserole, cheese, Chicken, Main Course, Tex-Mex

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 10 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter 8 tbsp, one stick
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms finely chopped
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth divided
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 - 10.5 oz mild diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 18 corn tortillas
• 3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large pot. Add the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes till onions are transparent.
• Add the flour and stir till absorbed.
• Add 2 cups chicken broth and the milk and whisk till smooth.
• Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder and simmer till thickened.
• Stir in the diced green tomatoes with green chilies and the chicken.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Layer 6 tortillas in the bottom of a 4 quart casserole pan. Place half the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas, sprinkle with one cup of cheese, and then place another layer of 6 tortillas, layer the rest of the chicken, sprinkle on another cup of cheese, and top with the last 6 tortillas.
• Pour 2 cups chicken broth over the top.
• Sprinkle the last cup of cheese over everything.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Notes

I usually cook a whole chicken for this recipe. That way I have the broth I need and I save any extra shredded chicken for another use.

The post King Ranch Chicken Casserole appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

These fluffy little bacon and cheese egg bites are perfect for busy mornings when you need something to grab and eat on the go. Full of protein and delicious bacon, everybody will enjoy them! 

My favorite things about these little egg muffins are: 

1. They’re healthy for the kids to eat but they taste good so they actually eat them. If you know you know. 
2. They’re easy to make ahead and refrigerate and then heat up when you need a quick breakfast.
3. Popping them out of the silicone cups is highly satisfying. I don’t have to grease the cups, they just are amazing! Here’s the link for the silicone baking cups I have.
4. They don’t take long to mix up and put in the oven. Quick and rewarding!

Ingredients you need to make these:

(scroll down for complete printable recipe with measurements)

• bacon, I cook my bacon in the air fryer for 8 minutes at 400 degrees
• shredded cheese, use whatever kind you have on hand. Cheddar works great, most of the time I use Monterrey jack because that’s what I buy in bulk 
• eggs
• whole milk
• salt
• black pepper
• garlic powder 

Here’s How You Make Bacon and Cheese Egg Bites:

• Place your silicone baking cups in a 12 cup muffin tin. If you don’t have any, you can just grease the pan really well.
• Distribute the chopped bacon evenly between the cups. 
• Distribute the cheese evenly between the cups.

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
• Pour the egg mixture into the cups, distributing evenly between all 12 cups. 
• Bake in 350 degree oven until set in the middle, about 25 minutes 
• Pop the egg bites out of the muffin cups and enjoy! 
• Refrigerate any leftovers. 

You can get creative and add whatever you want in these egg bites. Instead of bacon, try sausage. Add onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Even asparagus or cabbage would taste good! A lot of people add cottage cheese to their egg bites and that is delicious and adds extra protein to them. I would replace the milk with cottage cheese if I decided to do that. 

I hope you and yours enjoy these little egg bites. You could call them egg muffins I guess! 
Here’s to healthy breakfasts that don’t take all day to make,

~Rachel Ballinger 🥚

Here Are Some More Easy Breakfast Recipes For You: 

• Sourdough Pancakes 
• Sourdough Crepes
• Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby
• Bacon Asparagus Frittata 
• Homemade Yogurt 
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Granola 

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”  ~Rachel

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Bacon and Cheese Egg Bites

These delicious little egg bites are soft and fluffy and flavorful. Extra tasty with bacon and cheese and easy to make ahead and reheat on busy mornings for a healthy breakfast.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Keyword Bacon, Breakfast, cheese, eggs

Servings 12 Egg Bites

Author Rachel Ballinger

Equipment

• 12 cup muffin tin
• Silicone baking cups

Ingredients

• 6 strips bacon cooked and chopped
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Place 12 silicone muffin liners in a cupcake pan.
• Place the chopped bacon in each cup, distributing evenly.
• Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the bacon, distributing evenly between the cups.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour into the cups on top of the bacon and cheese, evenly distributing it between them.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Remove from silicone cups. They’ll pop right out! Serve right away or refrigerate leftovers.

The post Bacon and Cheese Egg Bites appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

This recipe freezes well so go ahead and make a double batch. One for dinner and one for the freezer. 

Ingredients Needed to Make Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti: 

• a whole chicken 

• spaghetti noodles

• butter

• mushrooms, finely chopped

• onion, finely chopped

• all purpose flour

• chicken broth

• 2 cups

• whole milk

• salt

• black pepper

• garlic powder

• mild diced tomatoes with green chilies

• shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Let’s Make it:

• Cook the chicken, debone and shred 
• Cook the pasta in the chicken broth 
• Make the creamy mushroom and onion sauce
• Mix together the sauce, pasta, chicken, and cheese 
• Place in a casserole dish and top with more cheese 
• Bake till cheese is bubbly 
• Serve and enjoy!

This is one of those comfort food dishes that the whole family will fall in love with. I hope it helps you realize that you can make real food with real ingredients and it doesn’t have to take all day to do it.

If you enjoyed this dish then I think you would also enjoy my:

• Beefy Noodles 
• Lasagna Soup 
• Creamy Bacon Potato Soup 

Happy Cooking! 

~Rachel Ballinger 💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel 

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Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This creamy cheesy chicken spaghetti is made without velveeta or cream of mushroom soup. Cook up a simple white mushroom and onion sauce and use real shredded cheese for a delicious dinner the whole family loves.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese, Chicken, Main Course, Pasta,

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 50 minutes minutes

Servings 10 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 lb spaghetti noodles
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup mushrooms finely chopped
• 1 cup onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 cups chicken broth divided
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 can mild diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided

Instructions

• In a large pot, place the chicken, cover with water and season generously with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bring to a boil and simmer until soft, about an hour. Debone chicken and shred, reserving 3 cups for the recipe. Refrigerate the rest for another use.
• In the same chicken broth, cook the spaghetti.
• In a large pot, melt the butter. Add the onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes until onions are transparent. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until absorbed. Add one cup chicken broth and milk and whisk till smooth. Season with the salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Let it simmer till thickened.
• Add the diced tomatoes and green chilies.
• Stir in 2 cups shredded cheese and stir till smooth and melted.
• Add the cooked spaghetti noodles, shredded chicken, and second cup of chicken broth to the sauce and stir.
• Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.
• Pour into a casserole pan and sprinkle the third cup of cheese on top.
• Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until nice and bubbly.

The post Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti appeared first on My Everyday Ordinary Life.

Reasons to love this butternut squash Mac n Cheese Dish:

• Because it’s Mac n cheese! Who doesn’t love Mac n cheese?
• It’s a delicious fall meal. Full of the warm fall flavors of squash and nutmeg and lots of cheese, it’s a comfort food dish. 
• It’s perfect for a Thanksgiving side dish. You can assemble it the day before and put it in the fridge  and then bake it on Thanksgiving Day so it’s nice and fresh. 

This dish is made in three parts: the sage breadcrumbs, the puréed butternut squash and cheese sauce, and the pasta. It’s so rich and creamy with the squash giving it a beautiful golden color. The sage breadcrumbs are amazing and tie the dish together perfectly. 

This is a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. Here’s a couple more dishes you might enjoy for your Thanksgiving Menu:

• The Best Thanksgiving Turkey 
• Sour Cream and Onion Mashed Potatoes 
• Creamy Cranberry Salad 
• Pumpkin Pie 

Enjoy this delicious fall dish,

~Rachel Ballinger 💕

“A lot of living happens in the kitchen.”   ~Rachel

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Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese

A creamy mac n cheese dish, full of warm butternut squash flavor and topped with toasted sage infused breadcrumbs. Perfect fall dish!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Butternut Squash, cheese, Pasta,, Side Dish

Servings 12 Servings

Author Rachel Ballinger

Ingredients

Breadcrumb Topping:

• 1 stick butter melted
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp fresh sage chopped

Butternut Squash:

• 1 average size butternut squash
• Olive oil
• Salt

Pasta:

• 1 lb. small shell pasta cooked and rinsed

Cheese Sauce:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4 cups whole milk
• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

Breadcrumb Topping:

• Melt the butter and mix in the chopped sage and panko bread crumbs. Set aside.

Butternut Squash:

• Cut your butternut squash in half. Remove seeds, peel, and cut into 1” inch pieces. Spread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft. Place in blender and puree till smooth. Add a little water if necessary. Set aside.

Pasta:

• While the squash is roasting in the oven, cook the pasta in salt water until soft. Drain and set aside.

Cheese Sauce:

• In a large pot (you can use the same one you cooked the pasta in), melt the butter. Add the flour and sauté for a couple minutes till browned and aromatic.
• Whisk in the salt, nutmeg, pepper, and garlic powder. Add the milk and whisk often, being careful not to let the bottom scorch. Heat until bubbly and starting to thicken.
• Add the cheese and stir till melted and smooth. Stir in the prepared squash puree. Stir in the cooked pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Pour it into a 9”x13” baking dish and sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly on top. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

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