I love recipes that combine two of my favorite foods into one dish. This recipe, which I’ve adapted from Southern Living, does a wonderful job of blending two southern favorites- mac and cheese and King Ranch Casserole- into one delicious meal.

King Ranch Mac and Cheese in cast iron pan.

I actually had very low expectations for this King Ranch Mac and Cheese recipe. I think something about the idea of tomatoes in my mac and cheese put me off. And a can of cream of chicken soup in my mac and cheese? That really raised an eyebrow. But my friend Stephanie of Plain Chicken did her own version of this recipe and she raved and raved about how good it was.

So I knew I had to keep an open mind and give it a try.

And boy was I glad I did. I can honestly say it was one of my favorite meals in recent memory. It is cheesy, creamy, and spicy with a crunchy Dorito topping and diced chicken really makes it feel like a full meal.

Fork lifting a bite of mac and cheese out of pan.

Ingredients

There are seriously so many flavors going on in this King Ranch Mac and Cheese – tomatoes and spice from a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilies (I used hot Rotel which gave the mac and cheese a fairly high spice level), but you could use mild instead.

There are southwestern flavors from chili powder and cumin, plus plenty of cheese flavor from cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and Velveeta cheese.

Sour cream and a can of cream of chicken soup help keep King Ranch Mac and Cheese super moist, even after the cooked dish cools down.

If you love the flavors of southwestern food, this spin on mac and cheese is sure to be a favorite!

Overhead of King Ranch Mac and Cheese in pan.

King Ranch Mac and Cheese Recipe Tip

Any pasta shape can be used for this recipe. Large elbow, cavatappi, and shells also work well.

For more Mac and Cheese Recipes follow my Mac and Cheese- The Ultimate Comfort Food Pinterest Board.

More Mac and Cheese Recipes

King Ranch Mac and Cheese in cast iron pan.

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King Ranch Chicken Mac and Cheese

4.60 from 5 votes

By Christin Mahrlig

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 6
King Ranch Mac and Cheese
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This King Ranch Mac and Cheese is a combo of two southern favorites. It is creamy, spicy, and cheesy and has diced chicken and a crunchy Dorito topping.
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 (16-ounce) package pasta,, I used Gemelli
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 medium onion,, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper,, diced
  • 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles,, spicy
  • 1 (8-ounce) package Velveeta pasteurized prepared cheese, product, cubed
  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup crushed Dorito chips

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions.
  • Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes.
  • Stir in Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta cheese. Cook, stirring continuously until cheese melts.
  • Mix in chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ancho chili powder, and cumin.
  • Add pasta and half of both cheddar cheese and Monterey cheese.
  • Pour into a greased
    or 11X9-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and crushed Doritos.
  • Bake until bubbly, for 25 to 30 minutes.

Notes

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 607kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag us @spicysouthernkitchen on social media!

Adapted from Southern Living

Sharing with The Weekend Potluck.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Originally published April 1, 2015.

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44 Comments

  1. Karen Henderson says:

    This sounds wonderful. Can you please confirm the actual amount of pasta you are using? “1/2 (16 ounce)”… I guess that means 8 ounces???

    Reply
  2. CarrieAnne says:

    So are you only using 8 oz of pasta? Or 1/2 of a 32 oz bag?

    Reply
    1. Ann says:

      I found the pasta amount confusing too. Will you clarify this for us ?

      Reply
  3. Helen says:

    We thought this was delicious! I followed the recipe except for using more of both kinds of cheese, in the mix and on top. Although I was skeptical, an 11×7 baking dish was (just barely) the right size. Definitely will be making this one again.

    Reply
    1. Helen says:

      Sorry, it was an 11×9, not 11×7, baking dish. It never would have fit in the smaller size.

      Reply
  4. Vickie Palmer says:

    I haven’t tried this yet but we have added a can of cream of chicken soup to our boxed mac and cheese since the 60’s. Everyone that has tried it loves it.

    Reply
  6. Meg says:

    My family loved this!

    Reply