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Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Million dollar chicken casserole with a creamy cream cheese and sour cream chicken filling topped with a deeply golden Ritz cracker crust. Baked until bubbly so every scoop shows tender shredded chicken under a buttery, crackly topping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shredded cooked chicken
  • 4 cup cooked chicken
Creamy filling base
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
Cheese and seasoning
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper to taste
Ritz cracker topping
  • 1.5 sleeves Ritz crackers crushed
  • 4 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 tbsp fresh chives chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish. Set the dish aside so it’s ready for assembly.
Make the creamy chicken filling
  1. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and ranch seasoning until smooth and combined. The mixture should look uniform with no visible cream cheese streaks.
  2. Fold in shredded chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, and garlic powder, then season with salt and pepper. Stir just until the chicken is evenly coated.
  3. Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared dish. Smooth the top so the bake cooks consistently.
Add the Ritz crust and bake
  1. Mix crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter until evenly combined, then spread over the chicken layer. Press lightly so the crumbs form an even golden topping.
  2. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and the cracker crust is deeply golden. Look for bubbling at the edges and a crisp, browned crust across the surface.
  3. Garnish with fresh chives right after baking. Let it rest briefly so the filling sets for cleaner scoops.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, let the casserole rest 5-10 minutes after baking before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze in an airtight container up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter swap, use reduced-fat cream cheese and sour cream—your casserole will still bake up creamy with the same Ritz topping.