Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
This Million Dollar Chicken Casserole is creamy, cheesy, and downright indulgent with tender chicken folded into a rich, tangy sauce and topped with buttery, golden Ritz cracker crumbs. It’s the kind of comfort food that disappears fast at potlucks and gets requested on repeat at family dinners.
This makes a great potluck dish – take it hot, and serve right away! Make extra, because everyone always wants a second serving!
What Is Million Dollar Chicken Casserole?
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole is a rich, creamy, cheesy comfort food dish made with tender chicken, cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese. Everything is baked together under a golden, buttery Ritz cracker topping for the perfect crunchy finish! The name “million dollar” comes from its rich, indulgent flavor, but it’s made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients. Our version has a secret ingredient—ranch seasoning—that adds even more delicious flavor! It’s an easy, family-friendly dinner that’s perfect for busy weeknights, potlucks, or sharing with friends.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a cozy, crowd-pleasing casserole that comes together with simple pantry staples.
- You can use rotisserie chicken to make it almost entirely hands-off.
- The creamy chicken filling and buttery Ritz topping bake up golden and bubbling in just over 30 minutes.
- The use of cottage cheese provides an extra boost of healthy protein.
Ingredients needed
For the Chicken Filling
- Chicken: Cooked or rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped.
- Cream cheese: Softened, for that rich, creamy base.
- Cottage cheese: Adds protein and a light tang without weighing things down.
- Sour cream: For extra creaminess.
- Cream of chicken soup: You could also use cream of mushroom soup.
- Sharp cheddar: Use freshly grated cheese for best flavor.
- Dry ranch seasoning: This is the secret ingredient that packs in flavor.
- Green onions: Plus more for serving.
- Garlic powder: For added depth of flavor.
- Black pepper: To taste.
Buttery Ritz Topping
- Ritz crackers: Coarsely crushed (about 30 crackers).
- Butter: For the topping, creating the rich and golden crust.
- Parmesan: Always use freshly grated.
- Fresh parsley: For a pop of vibrant herbaceous flavor, plus more for serving.
How do you make a million dollar chicken casserole?
Prepare the filling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the cottage cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, Ranch seasoning, and pepper.
- Fold in the chicken, cheddar, and green onions until everything is evenly combined.
PRO TIP: Taste to see if you need to add more salt.
Assemble the casserole
- Spread the chicken mixture into your prepared baking dish.
- Mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter, Parmesan, and parsley.
- Sprinkle generously over the entire casserole. You want lots of craggy pieces rather than cracker dust.
Bake the casserole
- Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, until bubbling around the edges and beautifully golden on top.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then finish with fresh parsley and a few sliced green onions.
PRO TIP: For the best texture, crush the Ritz crackers by hand so you get plenty of buttery, craggy pieces instead of fine crumbs. Those bigger pieces are what make the topping so irresistible!
Serving
This million dollar chicken casserole is delicious straight from the oven, scooped warm onto plates with a simple green salad or roasted vegetables on the side. It’s also great alongside crusty garlic bread to soak up every bit of the creamy sauce.
Set it out at a potluck or during the holidays and let everyone serve themselves. It’s a delicious, easy way to feed a crowd.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is the ultimate shortcut, but any cooked chicken works.
- Cottage cheese: If you’re not a cottage cheese fan, you can blend it smooth before mixing it in, or swap in an equal amount of additional sour cream.
- Ritz crackers: Buttery round crackers are classic, but any buttery cracker will work. Just crush them coarsely by hand for the best texture.
- Make ahead: You can mix the filling and topping separately a day ahead, then assemble and bake when you’re ready. The casserole is best fresh, but leftovers reheat beautifully.
- In the refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: This casserole freezes well. Assemble it unbaked, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Reheating: For the best texture, reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through. The microwave works in a pinch; just expect a slightly softer topping.
Variations:
- Loaded chicken casserole: Add crispy bacon pieces and a drizzle of ranch on top for a fully loaded twist.
- Spicy chicken casserole: Stir in a can of diced green chiles or a pinch of cayenne for a little heat.
- Broccoli cheddar chicken: Fold in 2 cups of steamed broccoli florets before baking for a vegetarian-friendly variation.
- Herbaceous twist: Mix chopped fresh herbs like chives, dill, or parsley into the filling for a fresh finish.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free crackers when catering to allergies.
The cottage cheese in this casserole provides an instant boost of protein. For more cottage cheese-inspired meals, try my Vegetarian Lasagna Roll-Ups (with Cottage Cheese) and Cottage Cheese Pizza.
More comforting casserole recipes you may want to try:
Get the Recipe:
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
Chicken Filling
- 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 Tbsp dry ranch dressing seasoning mix, not prepared dressing – it needs to be the dry powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- Black pepper, to taste
Buttery Ritz Topping
- 1 3.5 ounces sleeve Ritz crackers, coarsely crushed (about 30 crackers)
- 5 Tbsp butter, melted
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the cottage cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, dry ranch seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper until creamy and well combined.
- Fold in the cooked chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions until everything is evenly combined. TIP: Taste to see if you need to add more salt.
- Spread the chicken mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix the coarsely crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter, Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.
- Sprinkle the buttery cracker mixture generously over the entire casserole. You want lots of craggy pieces rather than fine cracker dust for the best crunchy topping!
- Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until the casserole is bubbling around the edges, heated through, and beautifully golden on top.
- Let the casserole rest for 5–10 minutes before serving. Finish with fresh parsley and a few extra sliced green onions. Serve warm and enjoy!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
