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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. The filling stays creamy and bubbly while the buttery crackers crackle on top for an easy, comforting dinner.
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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: 540
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
  • 1 salt to taste
  • 1 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

Method
 

Prep the oven and dish
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish, coating the corners and sides so the casserole releases cleanly.
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 until evenly distributed.
Assemble
  1. Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared dish, smoothing the top for even baking.
  2. Mix crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until evenly combined, then spread over the chicken layer to cover completely.
Bake and finish
  1. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350°F until bubbly around the edges and the cracker crust is deeply golden, with a golden sheen on top.
  2. Garnish with fresh chives right after baking so the color stays bright and the filling stays hot for serving.

Notes

For best texture, use already-cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie works great) and spread the filling in an even layer so the Ritz topping toasts uniformly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days; freeze up to 2 months (thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until hot). For a lighter option, replace the sour cream and cream cheese with reduced-fat versions to reduce richness while keeping the same bake-and-brown method.