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King Ranch Mac and Cheese

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.

  • Prep20 min
  • Cook30 min
  • Total50 min
  • Serves6
  • Rating4.6
King Ranch Mac and Cheese

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.
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.

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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 Tips

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

For best flavor, shred your own cheese with a box grater instead of buying pre-shredded.

Cook the pasta just to al dente. It will cook a little more in the oven.

More Mac and Cheese Recipes

King Ranch Mac and Cheese in cast iron pan.

Adapted from Southern Living

Sharing with The Weekend Potluck.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Originally published April 1, 2015.

Ingredients

Steps

  1. 1

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions.

  2. 2

    Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes.

  3. 3

    Stir in Rotel tomatoes and Velveeta cheese. Cook, stirring continuously until cheese melts.

  4. 4

    Mix in chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, ancho chili powder, and cumin.

  5. 5

    Add pasta and half of both cheddar cheese and Monterey cheese.

  6. 6

    Pour into a greased or 11X9-inch casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and crushed Doritos.

  7. 7

    Bake until bubbly, for 25 to 30 minutes.

Notes

For best flavor, shred your own cheese with a box grater instead of buying pre-shredded.

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

Nutrition

  • Calories631
  • Carbs47
  • Protein40
  • Fat32
  • Sodium1276
  • Fiber3
  • Sugar8

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