Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Okay, so this Million Dollar Chicken Casserole has literally saved my dinner table more times than I can count. With three kids, a dog that always needs to go out right when I start cooking, and a schedule that would make your head spin, this recipe has become my secret weapon.

Despite its fancy name, there’s nothing complicated about it. It’s just layers of creamy, cheesy goodness with tender chicken that somehow tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when really you were helping with math homework and breaking up fights over whose turn it is on the iPad.

The first time I made this, my husband took one bite and said, “This tastes like a million bucks!” Hence our family name for it stuck, though I’ve seen similar recipes called “Crack Chicken Casserole” online (which, let’s be honest, isn’t the most appetizing name).

What You’ll Need

• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chunked (rotisserie chicken is my LIFESAVER here)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup cottage cheese (trust me on this one!)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 packet dry Ranch seasoning (the secret flavor bomb!)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves)
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional, but who are we kidding? Bacon is never really optional)
• 2 green onions, sliced (mostly because I need something green on there so I can pretend it’s balanced)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch of salt (go easy – the Ranch and soup are already salty)

Let’s Put This Together

1. First things first – preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. I’ve forgotten this step before and deeply regretted it during cleanup.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. If you forgot to soften it (like I do 90% of the time), just unwrap it and microwave for about 20 seconds. Crisis averted.
3. Add the cottage cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, half the melted butter (so 2 Tbsp), Ranch seasoning, garlic powder, pepper, and a tiny pinch of salt to the cream cheese. Mix until well combined and smooth-ish. Don’t stress if there are a few cottage cheese lumps – they’ll melt into cheesy pockets of deliciousness.
4. Stir in 1 cup of the cheddar cheese (save the rest for topping) and your cooked chicken. Mix until everything is coated in the creamy mixture.
5. Spread this mixture into your prepared baking dish, trying to get it somewhat even, but again, don’t stress about perfection here. It’s all going to melt together anyway.
6. In a medium bowl, mix the crushed Ritz crackers with the remaining melted butter (2 Tbsp). I put the crackers in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin – great job to delegate to a kid who needs to burn off some energy!
7. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheddar cheese over the chicken mixture, then top with the buttered cracker crumbs.
8. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes, until the edges are bubbly and the top is golden brown.
9. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving (if you can keep hungry family members from diving in with a fork). Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and sliced green onions.

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Make-Ahead Magic

This casserole has saved me during those weeks when I know chaos is coming. Here’s how I prep it ahead:

Fridge Option: You can assemble the whole casserole (minus the cracker topping) up to 24 hours ahead and keep it in the fridge. Add the cracker topping right before baking. You’ll need to add about 5-10 minutes to the baking time if it’s cold from the fridge.

Freezer Option: After a particularly chaotic month, I started freezing this casserole and it was LIFE CHANGING. Assemble everything (again, minus the cracker topping), cover tightly with plastic wrap AND foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add the cracker topping, and bake as directed. Future you will thank present you, I promise.

Mix-It-Up Options

Over the years, I’ve made this so many times that I’ve come up with some variations to keep it interesting:

Broccoli Chicken Version: Add 2 cups of steamed broccoli florets to the chicken mixture. My kids pick around them, but my husband and I appreciate the token vegetable.

Southwest Style: Skip the Ranch packet and instead add 1 packet of taco seasoning, a can of drained Rotel tomatoes, and use pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar. Top with crushed tortilla chips instead of Ritz crackers.

Buffalo Chicken: Add 1/3 cup buffalo sauce to the mixture and use blue cheese instead of cheddar. This is my husband’s favorite but too spicy for the kids.

Fancy Pants Version: When my mother-in-law comes over, I add 1/2 cup white wine to the sauce mixture and throw in some sautéed mushrooms. I also use fresh herbs instead of the Ranch packet (2 Tbsp each of chopped parsley and dill, plus 1 tsp each of garlic powder and onion powder). She thinks I’m a culinary genius. I’ll never tell her how I usually make it.

Serving Ideas

I usually serve this with a simple green salad to cut through all that richness (and to ease my mom-guilt about balanced meals). But honestly, this casserole is hearty enough to stand alone.

Other good sides include:

• Steamed broccoli or green beans
• Roasted asparagus if you’re feeling fancy
• Garlic bread for the carb lovers (my entire family)
• A nice glass of white wine for the cook (essential equipment in my book)

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Troubleshooting Tips

“My casserole turned out runny!” This usually happens if your chicken had excess moisture. Next time, make sure your chicken is well-drained and patted dry before adding it.

“The topping got too brown before the casserole was hot!” Cover loosely with foil after about 20 minutes of baking, then remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.

“I don’t have Ritz crackers!” No problem! You can use crushed potato chips, cornflakes, or even seasoned breadcrumbs in a pinch.

“We don’t like cottage cheese!” Neither does my youngest, but I PROMISE you cannot taste it in the final dish. It just melts into creamy goodness. If you’re really opposed, you can substitute ricotta or more sour cream.

“Can I use leftover turkey instead of chicken?” ABSOLUTELY. This is my go-to after Thanksgiving, and it’s amazing.

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