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Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Million dollar chicken casserole with a golden-crusted Ritz cracker topping and a rich, creamy chicken filling. This easy chicken casserole bakes until bubbly, with a deeply golden butter-Ritz crust and a creamy 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 filling
  • 4 cup cooked chicken
  • 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 pepper to taste
Ritz 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 and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the casserole releases easily.
Make the creamy chicken mixture
  1. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and ranch seasoning until smooth and combined.
  2. Fold in shredded chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder, then season with salt and pepper.
Assemble
  1. Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish for a consistent bake.
  2. Mix crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until evenly combined, then spread over the chicken layer.
Bake
  1. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F until bubbly and the cracker crust is deeply golden.
  2. Garnish with fresh chives before serving so the top stays bright and flavorful.

Notes

For best texture, use fully cooked, dry shredded chicken and spread it evenly so the filling bakes uniformly. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350°F until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the cream cheese and sour cream can break slightly after thawing. If you want a lower-fat option, use light cream cheese and reduced-fat sour cream to reduce richness while keeping the creamy bake.