Million Dollar Chicken Casserole With Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
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.
Ingredients
Cream of Chicken Soup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Filling
- 4 cups chicken (cooked, shredded, 2 large chicken breasts)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1 cup cottage cheese (room temperature)
- ½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers ( about 1 ½ cups)
- 4 tablespoons butter (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat the milk and chicken stock in a microwave safe bowl for a minute.
- In a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk for about 2 minutes. Gradually add warmed milk and chicken stock, whisking constantly until it has thickened.
- Add seasonings and cook an additional minute. Set aside
- In a large bowl combine cream cheese, cottage cheese and sour cream. Add warm soup mixture stirring to combine. Add shredded chicken and pour into a casserole dish.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup add crushed crackers and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Combine with a fork and sprinkle over the top of the casserole.
- Bake for 30 minutes until it is bubbly around the edges.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- The filling will keep thickening as it cooks in the oven, so if it's a bit thin, don't worry about it.
- 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 and reduces lumps in your sauce.
- You can use a rotisserie chicken or roast your own chicken, it's super easy.
Nutrition
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 341mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 643IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 0.5mg
