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Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Million dollar chicken casserole with an impossibly rich cream cheese and sour cream filling topped with a deeply golden Ritz cracker crust. Baked until bubbly, it delivers a creamy chicken bake with a buttery, crunchy cracker finish.
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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: 610
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
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 black 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 bake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the casserole releases easily.
  2. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and ranch seasoning until smooth and fully combined.
  3. Fold in the shredded chicken, cheddar cheese, and garlic powder, then season with salt and pepper.
  4. Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared dish so it bakes uniformly.
  5. Mix the crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until evenly combined, then spread over the chicken layer.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F until bubbly all over and the cracker crust is deeply golden, using a quick visual check near the 30-minute mark.
  7. Garnish with fresh chives and serve hot, letting the steam rise from the dish for a fresh finish.

Notes

Pro tip: for the richest texture, use hot or warm shredded chicken so it blends quickly into the cream base; cover with foil for the first 15 minutes if your topping browns too fast. Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days in a sealed container; reheat covered in a 325°F oven until steaming. Freeze yes—freeze up to 2 months, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat covered. For a lighter option, swap reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream without changing bake time.