Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

a large spoon holding chicken casserole topped with ritz crackers.

This Million Dollar Chicken Casserole is total comfort food! Tender chicken is coated in a creamy sauce and sprinkled with a buttery cracker topping before baking in the oven. It's the perfect comforting dinner, and is the one chicken casserole you will want to make again and again!

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Southern

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 628

Author Ashlyn Edwards | Belle of the Kitchen

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
8 ounce block cream cheese room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 slices bacon cooked until crispy, chopped, and divided
1/2 cup green onions sliced and divided
30 Ritz crackers crushed
1/4 cup unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the cubed chicken breast pieces to a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, mixing carefully to coat evenly. Add the cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, cream cheese, mayonnaise, half the chopped bacon, and half the green onions and everything well.
Spoon chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish and spread into an even layer.
In a small bowl, stir together the Ritz cracker crumbs and the melted butter. Sprinkle the cracker mixture over the chicken.
Bake in the preheated oven for 45-55 minutes until the casserole is bubbly, and the topping is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to cool for at least 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining bacon crumbles and green onions over the top of the casserole right before serving.

Video

Notes

What kind of chicken to use: as written, this recipe uses raw, boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks. You could also use leftover chicken or store-bought rotisserie chicken. If using already cooked chicken, your baking time will be reduced to 30 minutes.

Making ahead of time: You can prep your casserole ahead of time for the same day or the next day and store it in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap. Just wait to add the cracker mixture right before baking and follow the baking instructions in the recipe. It makes a great make-ahead dish to send to a family member or friend.

Freezer Instructions: Cover the casserole dish with a layer of plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months. If freezing as a make-ahead, prepare the casserole as directed but don't add the cracker topping. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. It is best to thaw the frozen casserole in the refrigerator overnight before baking, and it is even better if you can let it come to room temperature before placing it in the oven. Add the cracker mixture to the thawed casserole right before baking.

To Reheat: If reheating the remaining casserole, place it in the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly heated through. If heating a single serving, you can heat it in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes at a time until warm.

For a Keto or Low Carb option, you can omit the Ritz cracker topping. For a gluten-free option, you could use gluten-free crackers instead. All of the other ingredients are gluten-free as is (check the condensed soup to be sure, though.)

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Nutrition