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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, buttery Ritz cracker crust. This easy chicken casserole bakes until bubbly with the cracker topping crisp and golden on top for a comforting dinner texture.
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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: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken filling
  • 4 cup 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
  • 0.1 salt to taste
  • 0.1 pepper to taste
Topping
  • 1.5 sleeves Ritz crackers crushed
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix the filling
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Make sure the dish is fully coated so the casserole releases cleanly.
  2. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and ranch seasoning until smooth and combined. Scrape the sides as needed until no cream cheese streaks remain.
  3. Fold in shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper. Mix just until the chicken and cheese are evenly coated.
  4. Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared dish. Press it level so the topping bakes uniformly.
Add the Ritz topping and bake
  1. Mix crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until evenly combined; spread over the chicken layer. Cover the surface in an even layer so it turns deeply golden.
  2. Bake for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and the cracker crust is deeply golden. Look for bubbling around the edges and a crisp, browned top.
  3. Garnish with fresh chives. Serve while hot so the interior stays creamy and the crust stays crisp.

Notes

For best results, soften the cream cheese fully so the filling comes together smooth before adding the chicken. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the oven or microwave until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because the creamy filling can loosen after thawing. If you want a lighter option, use reduced-fat cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream while keeping the topping the same.