Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with this Million Dollar Chicken Casserole. It's the perfect hearty dish for family dinners or special gatherings.
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
I love easy to make casseroles that tastes amazing and that my kids and husband like. Million dollar chicken casserole is one of those dishes.
It combines shredded chicken, a trio of cheeses, and a crunchy, buttery cracker topping.
This casserole is an easy-to-make dinner that's perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients for Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Cooked chicken, shredded: You can either cook your own and shred it or use a rotisserie chicken.
Sour cream: We like to use full-fat sour cream to give the casserole a richer taste and creamier texture.
Mayonnaise: You can use store bought or homemade.
Condensed cream of chicken soup
Shredded cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses: if you love cheese as much as we do, feel free to add a bit more to the dish.
Crushed buttery crackers
Unsalted butter, melted: Using unsalted butter allows you to control the sodium level in your dish.
Seasonings (Garlic powder, Onion powder, Dried oregano, Salt, Pepper): Adjust these seasonings to taste.
Fresh parsley for garnish
How to Make Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly greasing a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Next, take a large mixing bowl and thoroughly combine shredded chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper until the mixture is well incorporated.
Once mixed, evenly spread the chicken mixture into your prepared baking dish.
In a different bowl, prepare the topping by mixing together crushed crackers and melted butter until they are well combined. Evenly sprinkle this crumbly mixture over the top of the chicken layer in the baking dish.
Place the dish in your preheated oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes, or until you observe that the casserole has become bubbly and the top has turned a golden brown.
After removing the casserole from the oven, allow it to rest for a few minutes for it to set. Finally, garnish the casserole with fresh parsley before serving it warm.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Best Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Below are some tips, tricks, and variations to help you make the best version of this comforting dish and optimize your time in the kitchen.
Rotisserie Chicken for the Win: Save time by using shredded meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken. It’s a quick and tasty alternative to cooking and shredding chicken breasts at home.
Cheese Variations: Experiment with different types of cheese for varying flavors and textures.
Crunchy Topping Ideas: While crushed crackers provide a classic crispy topping, consider other options like panko breadcrumbs tossed with melted butter, or even crispy fried onions.
Add Vegetables: You can mix in vegetables like spinach, mushrooms, or bell peppers to the chicken mixture.
Prep in Advance: Mix the chicken base a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator. The day of serving, just add the topping and bake.
Use Pre-Shredded Cheese: While freshly grated cheese melts better, using pre-shredded cheese can cut down on prep time.
How to Store Leftovers
If you end up with leftovers, you can store them for later.
After serving, allow the casserole to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer the leftovers into airtight containers or cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Store in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
To reheat, you can use the microwave or stick it in the oven at 300F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
What to Serve with Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
You'll love pairing these sides with million dollar chicken casserole:
- Garden Salad: A light and fresh garden salad makes a great side.
- Steamed Green Beans: Delicately steamed green beans are delicious with this.
- Garlic Bread: Serving garlic bread on the side is perfect for soaking up any creamy sauce.
- Roasted Carrots
- Rice: Serve the casserole on top of a bed of rice.
- Cucumber Salad: A crisp cucumber salad is another great option.
- Sauteed Spinach
- Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Cornbread
More Casserole Recipes
- French Onion Beef Casserole
- Reuben Casserole
- Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- White Chicken Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Pepperoni Pizza Casserole
- More Casserole Ideas
Make sure you remember to make dessert! Try our banana pudding or chocolate lush.
Make sure to "PIN IT" for later and follow Gather in my Kitchen on Pinterest for all the latest easy and delicious recipes!
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken shredded
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 10.75 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 cup crushed buttery crackers about 1 sleeve
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, sour cream, mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer the chicken mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.
- In a separate bowl, mix crushed crackers with melted butter. Sprinkle this cracker mixture over the chicken layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbly and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven, let it rest for a few minutes, and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary based on your ingredients.
Sally Koll
Just a question, can this be prepared and split into two smaller square baking dishes and one frozen for another time? It’s just two of us and we can’t eat a 9x13 pan.
Jenny
Hi, I have not personally frozen this casserole before. Based on casseroles I've frozen and then cooked in the past, I would think it would work out fine to do that. The only concerns I would have would be potentially the texture on the frozen one, but I don't think it would be affected too badly. The other thing would be the cracker topping, which I would probably leave off when freezing and then add it before cooking.
Terri
This is a keeper! We are low carb eaters and we have 1 that can't have dairy so the only cheese I used was the parm. I also used crushed pork rinds instead of crackers. everything else I used! so good!
Stephanie
Can you use miracle whip in place of the Mayo?
Jenny
I have personally never done this. You should be able to, but it will have a slightly different taste by doing so.
Leighann Willson
This looks wonderful especially with French fried onions for a topping but I’m allergic to mayonnaise can I double sour cream or replace with Greek yogurt?
Jenny
I believe you should be find with either doubling the sour cream or subbing the mayo out for the Greek yogurt. I have not personally done this, but I've made similar swaps in other similar recipes and haven't had problems doing that.
Brenda Griffith
Could you use Italian style bread crumbs instead of crushed crackers? If so same amount 1 cup?
Jenny
Yes, you can. I have not personally done that with this casserole, but have made this change out on other casseroles. This casserole is already very rich in flavor and the Ritz crackers don't have a lot of that flavor that Italian bread crumbs would bring, so it will probably amplify the flavor just a bit more.
Lupita
I love this casserole! I didn’t add the cheese only Parmesan & it came out yummy.
Kathy
Any recommendations on anything to add for texture? Rice, noodles ect?
Jenny
Yes, we've eaten this over rice (Basmati or Jasmine rice) as well as spiral noodles. We probably prefer eating it over the rice, but my kids absolutely love rice and would choose that over noodles most of the time.
Tricia
Family of six here. I made this last night and it tastes good but we all agreed that it was way too rich. I cut the cheese in half but everything else I did as the recipe states. I think maybe if we cut out the mayonnaise it would be better for us.