Million Dollar Chicken Casserole Recipe

This million dollar chicken casserole is smothered in a cheesy cream sauce kicked up with sour cream and spices. Then it's covered in crushed up Ritz crackers and baked until it's hot, bubbly, and insanely delicious. 

Why You'll Love This Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

It's a winning combination. This million dollar chicken casserole packs a whole lot of flavor into one easy dish. From the extra creamy chicken filling to the crunchy Ritz crackers on top, every part is delicious! I

It's so easy to make. This recipe requires very little prep time, but it's still filling, delicious, and luxurious. It's a lifesaver to make for dinner on busy weeknights but impressive enough to serve company.

It's versatile. You can add bacon or some veggies, mix shredded cheese with the filling, or swap out the Ritz crackers for tortilla chips or even Doritos! Speaking of Doritos, if you want to give a casserole recipe that has taco vibes a try, give this Doritos casserole a go next.

Ingredients Needed

• Chicken- chopped cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken.
• Cream cheese- softened to room temperature.
• Cottage cheese- or ricotta cheese.
• Sour cream- or mayonnaise to add more creaminess to the filling.
• Cream of chicken soup- or any condensed cream soup like cream of mushroom soup.
• Garlic powder and onion powder- for flavor.
• Ritz crackers and melted butter- for the crunchy topping.

Oh, and if you do end up going to the store, grab some extra chicken to make this chicken noodle casserole or this crack chicken casserole next!  They're both two more great chicken dinner ideas.

How To Make Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Step 1: Preparing The Ingredients

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C). Then, lightly spray a 9x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray, or brush it with a thin coat of oil if you don't have spray.

Now, you can pull out the cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and the rest of your ingredients.

Next, you'll want to place the cream cheese on the counter so it can soften while you melt some butter and chop the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Or you can use a rotisserie chicken instead to save some time.

Step 2. Making The Casserole

Once everything is ready, you can start assembling!

First, put the softened cream cheese in a bowl and mix in the sour cream, cottage cheese, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Then, add the cooked chicken to the cream cheese mixture, and stir everything together until it's all combined and you have a creamy sauce. 

After that, pour the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish, combine the crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter in a bowl, and pour the buttery Ritz cracker on top of the prepared casserole.

Oh, and by the way, if you want to make this a cheesy casserole, you can add cheddar cheese or any shredded cheese on top of the crackers.

Step 3. Baking The Casserole

Now that the casserole is ready to cook, put the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes - or until bubbly on the edges and beautifully golden brown on top. Then, once it's cooked, serve and enjoy!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

To store, let the leftover chicken casserole cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container, or you can put a lid on the baking dish if it has one. Then, you can keep the cooked chicken casserole in the refrigerator for around 4 days.

You can also freeze it right after assembling it for a make-ahead meal that's ready whenever you are! Then, when you're ready to eat it, just thaw it completely in the fridge and follow the baking instructions listed above. You can freeze the cooked leftovers if you want to keep 'em for longer for about 4 months. 

The best way to reheat this cooked chicken casserole is to put it back in the oven at 350°F (180°C). To reheat the leftover chicken casserole, transfer the amount you want to eat to a casserole dish and cover it loosely with foil. Then, put it in the oven for about 10 minutes or until it has warmed all the way through. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What can I add to chicken casserole to make it taste better?

This million dollar chicken casserole already has some elements added to it that are not typically in a regular chicken casserole, so it tastes incredible.  But, if you want to elevate the flavor, you can add in:

• Top with crispy bacon bits
• Any seasoning you want, like Italian seasoning
• A mix of different cheeses, like mozzarella cheese and cheddar cheese
• Top with crushed pork rinds
• Substitute the cream of chicken for cream of mushroom soup
• Sprinkle chili flakes on top to add a little spice

Can I cook raw chicken in a casserole?

It's safe to use raw chicken as long as it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F after the baking time is up. But if you want to save some cooking time, you can use precooked chicken or rotisserie chicken!

What can I serve with million dollar chicken casserole?

My favorite things to eat with this casserole are garlic bread, biscuits, and fried jalapenos. But honestly, anything you want will go great alongside it!

More Chicken Casserole Recipes

• Crack chicken casserole
• Chicken divan
• French onion chicken casserole
• Spinach artichoke chicken casserole
• Poppy seed chicken casserole