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Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Million dollar chicken casserole is a rich cream cheese and sour cream chicken bake topped with a deeply golden Ritz cracker crust. It bakes until bubbly, with a crackly buttered topping and a creamy, cheesy chicken interior.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken casserole filling
  • 4 cooked chicken, shredded
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste
Ritz cracker topping
  • 1.5 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed
  • 4 tbsp butter, melted
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and ranch seasoning until smooth and combined, with no streaks visible.
Assemble filling
  1. Fold in shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared dish so it reaches the corners in an even layer.
Add topping and bake
  1. Mix crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until evenly combined and looks like sandy, butter-coated crumbs.
  2. Spread the Ritz crumb topping over the chicken layer in an even blanket.
  3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly in the center and the cracker crust is deeply golden; look for active bubbling at the edges.
  4. Garnish with fresh chives and let the casserole rest briefly so it sets enough to serve.

Notes

For clean slices, let the casserole rest about 5-10 minutes after baking before scooping. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days; freeze for up to 2 months (thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat at 350°F until hot and bubbly). For a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream and low-sodium cream of chicken soup if desired.