Million Dollar Chicken Casserole with Cream Cheese

Is there anything better than a casserole with a golden, buttery, crumbly crust? Nope! And that’s what makes this million dollar chicken casserole recipe so perfect! A fully from-scratch recipe that uses Ritz crackers to make a salty, buttery crust on top of a flavorful thick and creamy filling made with homemade cream of chicken soup. You can make this recipe without opening any cans and you won’t believe how easy it is.

 

No Cans Needed for this Million Dollar Chicken

We all know how easy dinners are when you pour in a can of ‘cream of’ soup. But if you think the canned stuff is good, you won’t believe how yummy casseroles are when you take the extra few minutes to make them from scratch like with a chicken noodle casserole or classic tuna casserole.

It’s actually simple to do, and once you start, you’ll never want to go back to the soup aisle. I promise you that! Million dollar chicken casserole with Ritz uses rotisserie chicken (or you can make your own and shred it), along with a filling made from butter, chicken stock, sour cream, cream cheese and even cottage cheese. Of course, it gets all golden brown and crispy in the oven for the absolute ultimate comfort food.

This is so amazing some say it’s worth a million bucks. I’ll let you decide, how can it be bad with cream cheese and Ritz crackers!

What’s in cream of chicken soup?

A can of cream of chicken soup contains chicken stock, oil, food starch, flour, and cream, along with some seasonings. But it also contains flavor enhancers (like MSG), tons of salt, chicken fat, and even coloring. Yeah, it tastes pretty good, we can all agree. But at the end of the day, it just doesn’t taste as good as homemade, and it certainly isn’t as natural as it is when you can make it from scratch.

Homemade cream of chicken soup contains butter, flour, chicken stock, milk, and seasonings. That’s it! And it only takes about 5 minutes to make. Yes, only 5 minutes!

Why You’ll Love This Easy and Creamy Chicken Casserole Recipe

• It’s a family favorite. It’s a simple recipe made with common ingredients. Much like a chicken pot pie,the whole family will be glad to sit down for a helping of this casserole. 
• It uses simple ingredients.​ Pick up a cooked chicken at the grocery store and you’ve pretty much got this comforting meal made! 
• It’s even better the next day. This million dollar chicken bake is even better tomorrow. Make sure you scoop yourself a portion for lunch before you serve it up, because there might not be any leftovers.

What can I use instead of Ritz crackers?

Lots of casseroles use buttery Ritz crackers. But you can easily substitute with other butter-flavored crackers like Saltines or Townhouse crackers. You can also use panko bread crumbs. If you really need to be creative, grab some plain potato chips and crush them up, or even use cornflakes! If you mix any of these with melted butter, you can make a yummy crust for a casserole.

Traditional Million Dollar Chicken Casserole Ingredients

• Whole milk – The extra fat in whole milk will make your sauce creamy. You can use skim or low-fat, but it won’t be quite as creamy.
• Shredded cooked chicken – ​You’ll need about 4 cups, or 2 large chicken breasts. Rotisserie or leftover chicken are perfect for this recipe.
• Cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream – Don’t skip these! You’ll be so glad you used them for the tangy flavor they give your casserole filling, and the texture and flavor of your creamy sauce. If you want, replace the sour cream with greek yogurt.
• Crushed Ritz crackers – See above for some replacement ideas, but you’ll love the taste of this buttery Ritz cracker topping. You’ll need 1 sleeve or about 1 ½ cups.
• Seasonings – onion powder, garlic powder, celery seed, salt, pepper
• Pantry Staples – Flour, butter, chicken stock

How To Make the Easiest Million-Dollar Chicken Casserole Recipe

Step 1: Prepare your oven.

Preheat your oven and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2: Make cream of chicken soup.

Grab a microwaveable bowl and measure out the milk and stock. Heat the mixture in the microwave for about a minute. 

Meanwhile, grab a saucepan and melt the butter on the stovetop. Add the flour to the melted butter and whisk for about 2 minutes. It will start to look lumpy and brown, but that’s ok. You’re making a roux which will help to thicken your soup and give it a rich flavor. 

Next, gradually add the warmed milk and chicken stock, whisking constantly until it starts to make a gravy. It will start to thicken, but it won’t get as thick as a can of soup. That’s alright, because it will thicken more in the oven.

Add the seasonings and cook just a bit longer, then set it aside for now.

Step 3: Make your creamy cheese filling.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream. Add the warm soup mixture, all the while stirring until a sauce forms. Shred the chicken or chop it into bite-sized pieces and stir it into the sauce. Now, you can pour the entire mixture into your prepared casserole dish. 

Step 4: Make your topping and bake.

Put the sleeve of crackers in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin or just break them apart with your hands. Dump the crushed crackers and melted butter in a small bowl and combine them with a fork. Sprinkle the whole mixture over the top of the casserole.

Bake for 30 minutes until it is bubbly around the edges and the cracker topping is golden brown.

A Few Recipe Notes

• The filling will keep thickening as it cooks in the oven, so if it’s a bit thin, don’t worry about it.
• Heat the milk and chicken broth, if it’s cold, it takes longer for the sauce to thicken.
• Let your cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before you begin making your sauce so they come to room temperature. This helps make it much easier to stir together.
• When I make casseroles, I try to keep an eye on the topping. If it’s starting to look like it’s burning or getting overcooked, but my casserole still needs more time, I just lay a piece of foil over the top. You don’t have to tuck the foil tightly around the dish. You just need to set it on top so there’s a barrier between the heat and the topping.

Additions to Chicken Casserole

This casserole is pretty rich so I like to serve it over egg noodles, but you it is complete and really satisfying as-is. Here are some ideas for changing it up:

• Add cheese to the top before baking, like mozzarella, Colby Jack, or sharp cheddar.
• Serve it with a simple side salad or a Greek salad with a tangy dressing to compliment the rich filling.
• Add crispy bacon bits to the filling before baking.
• Incorporate frozen veggies like green beans, peas, or carrots. Just stir them into the filling before adding it to the casserole dish.

What to Serve with a Cream Cheese Chicken Casserole

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