Slow Cooker King Ranch Chicken Soup
36 Comments
Posted: 01/29/19
Updated: 02/13/25
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Crock Pot King Ranch Chicken Soup is the perfect, comforting soup based on your favorite King Ranch Chicken Casserole. This is such an easy recipe and your family will be asking for it all the time! Plus, it is so hearty you can eat it as a meal on it’s own. It really is the slow cooker soup recipe you have been looking for.
I’ve been blogging a whopping 6 years already and I can’t believe it! I have had a blast and one of the things I’ve enjoyed most is the community that food blogging is. We are there to support each other, feed off each other and toss ideas back and forth.
It’s really not a competition but a community. It’s pretty awesome. I’ve also “met” a lot of awesome people along this journey. Today I’m introducing you to one of them and her brand new cookbook! Samantha over at Five Heart Home has an amazing new cookbook, Real Food Slow Cooker Suppers, that was just released!
I know all of you love your slow cooker as much as me! Some of my favorite slow cooker meals are Crock Pot Chili Mac, Slow Cooker Tomato Basil Soup and Turkey Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole Recipe, YUM!!
So I just had to share her book with YOU!!!
Not only is Samantha a total sweetheart but she somehow managed to pull off developing 80 Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes that call for all real, fresh, unprocessed ingredients while raising three young kids! Plus, she kept up her blog while doing this!
In this cookbook, you can expect to find beautiful pictures to accompany each of the 80 recipes, a variety of family-friendly main dish recipes influenced by a variety of cuisines and metric conversions for each recipe!
You can grab a copy of Samantha’s cookbook at Amazon & Barnes & Noble!
I chose to try out the Slow Cooker King Ranch Chicken Soup and it was FABULOUS. If all the recipes are this good I’ll be using this cookbook every night!
I was secretly happy it was just me and Ry home when I made it so I could hoard all the leftovers to myself! It was the perfect, comforting soup with just the right amount of spice!
Making this soup in the crock pot is such a huge time saver when trying to get supper on table, I know I will be making it again very soon with so many weeknight activities on the calendar!
why you’ll love this recipe
- You probably already have everything in your kitchen that you need to make this hearty crockpot soup. I always think a new recipe that doesn’t need a trip to the grocery store is a win!
- It’s the perfect take on King Ranch Casserole but a fun way to switch it up.
- You don’t have to worry about leaving a simmering soup on your stovetop – the crockpot means you can go about your busy afternoon while supper is cooking!
Reader Love
So delicious 😋
ingredients for king ranch chicken soup
- Butter – A great base for the sauce that gives this soup it’s hearty thickness.
- Garlic – Sautéed with the butter, this gives the perfect flavor.
- Flour – This is use to thicken the soup. Use corn starch if you have to stay away from gluten.
- Chicken broth – Use your favorite storebought broth or homemade if you have it.
- Seasonings – Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and ground black pepper
- Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless are best to work with.
- Rotel – can diced tomatoes with green chiles
- Jalapeño – Remove seeds and membranes for a more mild soup, keep them in for some heat.
- Colby Jack cheese – This is the tastiest cheese when it is shredded and sprinkled onto this soup!
- Tortilla chips – These are used to garnish your soup to serve.
- Cilantro – The best fresh herb to add to this dish.
how to make king ranch chicken soup
- Melt butter in a saucepan, add the garlic and sauté for about a minute.
- Whisk in flour, then slowly whisk in the chicken broth. Increase the heat to a simmer and continue to whisk for several minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Remove from the heat, and stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Season to taste with black pepper. Set aside.
- Place the chicken breasts in the crockpot. Top with Rotel and jalapeño.
- Pour the sauce over the top. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours, until chicken is tender.
- Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board. Dice the chicken, then add it back to the slow cooker.
- Cook for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the ingredients heated through.
- Serve with crushed tortilla chips, extra cheese and cilantro.
How can i thicken my soup?
If your soup seems a little too runny, you can always add a little more shredded cheese or even a good splash of heavy cream if you have some.
Flour and cornstarch are both thickening agents and will help to thicken your soup as well.
How to store leftovers
Fridge: Store leftover King Ranch Soup in an airtight container up to 4 days. Store extra shredded cheese, tortilla chips and cilantro separately.
Freezer: Freeze leftover soup without tortilla chips and cilantro in a freezer safe airtight container or zip top bag.
f
how to reheat leftovers
Reheat leftover soup on the stovetop, stirring frequently so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
If you only need one bowl of soup, use the microwave.
Pro Tips
- If you have leftover cooked chicken breast in your fridge, shred it or cut it up and use it in this soup! Just add it near the end to heat it up since it is already cooked.
This spin on a classic Tex-Mex casserole is sure to wow everyone at the dinner table. I know you will love this hearty soup as much as I did! Thanks so much to my friend, Samantha for sharing her new cookbook with me.
More great chicken soups
- One pot Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is so hearty and perfect for a cold day.
- In the mood to make a soup and have leftover chicken? Cheesy Southwest Chicken Soup is exactly what you need to make.
- Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Soup is the perfect dump and go soup for a busy weeknight.
- Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken Wild Rice Soup will be ready after a long day at the office with very little prep to do in the morning!
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Soup is the best soup version of everyone’s favorite savory pie! And it is so much simpler.
WATCH THE STEP BY STEP VIDEO FOR THIS CROCK POT KING RANCH CHICKEN SOUP RECIPE BELOW:
If you enjoy watching these videos make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified each time I post a new video!
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!
Slow Cooker King Ranch Chicken Soup Recipe
Love creamy, comforting soups with a little Tex-Mex kick? This Slow Cooker King Ranch Chicken Soup is the perfect blend of cheesy, flavorful goodness! Packed with tender chicken, Rotel, peppers, and spices, it’s an easy recipe your whole family will love on a chilly day.
Video
servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 ½ lb chicken breasts boneless and skinless
- 10 ounces Rotel (mild, original or hot depending on your heat preference)
- 1 medium jalapeno minced
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese plus more for topping
- Tortilla chips for serving
- Fresh cilantro chopped, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute until it is fragrant and light golden brown, about 1 minute.
- Stir in flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth. Increase the heat to a simmer and whisk continuously for several minutes, until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove saucepan from heat, and stir in chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt. Add black pepper to taste and set sauce aside.
- Place the chicken breasts in a large slow cooker. Top them with the Rotel and jalapeño. Pour the sauce over the top. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours, until chicken is tender and cooked through, but not overcooked.
- Transfer chicken to cutting board. Stir cheese into the slow cooker and cover while you prepare chicken. Pull chicken into large chunks and stir back into the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken is heated through. Stir well.
- To serve, crush tortilla chips into a bowl and ladle the soup over the top. Garnish with extra cheese and cilantro, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 690kcal (35%), Carbohydrates: 23g (8%), Protein: 48g (96%), Fat: 45g (69%), Saturated Fat: 26g (163%), Cholesterol: 188mg (63%), Sodium: 1203mg (52%), Potassium: 803mg (23%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 2g (2%), Vitamin A: 1920IU (38%), Vitamin C: 8.8mg (11%), Calcium: 590mg (59%), Iron: 3.7mg (21%)
more fantastic recipes you’ll find in the book
DINNERTIME CLASSICS
- Swedish Meatballs
- Teriyaki Chicken Breasts
- Marinated Pork Chops & Potatoes
COMFORTING MAIN DISHES
- Mexican Pot Roast with Borracho Beans
- Bacon-Wrapped Peach Jalapeño Pork Loin
- Cheesy Spinach Lasagna
SOUP’S ON
- King Ranch Chicken Soup
- Thai Shrimp Soup with Rice Noodles
- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup
STEWS, CHILIS, & CHOWDERS
- Beefy Three-Bean Chili
- Pork & Hominy Stew
- Chicken & Dumplings
SANDWICHES, TACOS, & WRAPS
- Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Sliders
- Mini Pulled Pork Pizzas
- French Dip Tacos with Caramelized Onions & Bleu Cheese
HOLIDAY HELPERS
(Holiday main dishes to make in the slow cooker so that your oven is freed up for other recipes)
- Cran-Cherry Glazed Ham
- Herbed Turkey Breast
- Citrus-Glazed Cornish Hens
Bonus Chapter: HOMEMADE SEASONINGS & STOCKS
Donna Keller says
I haven’t made this yet, going to make this weekend, but I wanted to know, where did you get those soup bowls, gorgeous.
Julie Evink says
I think they were hand made at a local market!
Gloria says
I made this in a pot on the stove and it was so good I also used rotisserie chicken , it is so full of flavor and one of the best soups I made lately. Thumbs up on this one.
Julie says
Awesome! I’m so glad you loved it, Gloria!
Nikki says
I just made this tonight and OMG it’s delicious! Sooooooo full of flavor! I had leftover rotisserie chicken so that made the prep even easier. This is the second recipe I’ve made from this site and both were fantastic. (The other recipe was the meatball sub casserole. I’ve got a picky family, and everyone loved it) I’m a follower for life!
Julie Evink says
Awwwww you are to sweet! I’m so glad you enjoyed this one too! It’s one of my faves and rotisserie chicken is such a great shortcut!
Wendy says
I have looked but can’t find how many servings this recipe is for? Want to make for Super Bowl party for 18 people….
Julie Evink says
It will serve about 6 people depending on big your servings are!
Linda says
What is the nutrition (carbs, fat, protein) content?
Ericka says
This was delicious! We used an already cooked rotisserie chicken and added a can of drained black beans. Exactly what we were looking for! Thanks!
Julie Evink says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Grace says
I would like to know this too Sue.! I dont think all purpose flour is keto friendly. So coconut or almond, or does it matter at all?
Sue says
To make this keto friendly what do you use to substitute for the all-purpose flour? You use coconut or almond flour?
Grace says
Oops! I went straight to that recipe and didn’t read before hand..yes you can replace the flour with coconut flour. I guess almond would do the same?not sure…hmmm
Becky says
anyone know the fat protein and carbs?
Bronwyn says
Has anyone tried making this in the instant pot?
Ella says
Can I substitute Xanthan Gum or something in place of the All Purpose Flour?
Andrea says
I did and it turned out yummy!!
Kamilla Cross says
This is just like the king ranch chicken casserole we make in Texas, but soup so it’s better!
Christine says
Did I miss the ranch part? There is no ranch in this…
Traci says
Christine, King Ranch is a ranch in Texas where the casserole is said to have originated. It’s a staple in most Texas homes. No ranch dressing involved.
Rohde says
Hello, does this serve 6?
Julie says
Yes, there are 6 servings in this one.
Samantha @ Five Heart Home says
Thank you so much for sharing my cookbook and this recipe from it, Julie! I feel the same away about our community of bloggers…how fun to have a job where “co-workers” support and help each other so much! I’m very happy to count you as one of my blogger friends. 🙂 Thanks again for everything and I’m thrilled that y’all enjoyed the King Ranch Chicken Soup!
Danielle says
Oh man, this is my kind of soup. I need to make this ASAP!
Chelsea says
Could you substitute beef for chicken??
Julie Evink says
I’m sure you could, but I have never done this.