Description
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole comes straight from Grandma’s comfort recipe collection, delivering pure Southern charm right to your dinner table. Creamy, cheesy, and packed with tender chicken, this casserole becomes your new weeknight favorite that everyone will request again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 cups cooked chicken
- 120 g shredded mozzarella cheese
- 100 g grated Parmesan cheese
Dairy and Creamy Base:
- 225 g cream cheese
- 240 g cottage cheese
- 240 g sour cream
- 240 g mayonnaise
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
Seasonings and Toppings:
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
- 225 g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat your oven precisely to 350°F (175°C), ensuring the temperature is fully stabilized before baking.
- Grab a large mixing bowl and combine 225 g cream cheese, 240 g cottage cheese, 240 g sour cream, 240 g mayonnaise, and 1 can cream of chicken soup until the mixture becomes completely smooth.
- Season your creamy base with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, salt, and black pepper, stirring to distribute the seasonings evenly.
- Gently fold 2 cups of cooked chicken into the creamy mixture, making sure each piece gets thoroughly coated.
- Prepare a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with a light grease coating to prevent sticking.
- Spread the chicken mixture across the dish, creating an even layer for consistent cooking.
- Sprinkle 100 g grated Parmesan cheese over the entire surface of the mixture.
- Create the cracker topping by mixing 1 cup crushed Ritz crackers with 225 g melted unsalted butter until the crumbs are fully coated.
- Distribute the buttered cracker mixture across the casserole, covering every inch for a crunchy texture.
- Scatter 120 g shredded mozzarella cheese on top, ensuring an even layer for perfect melting.
- Slide the casserole into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, watching for a golden brown top and bubbling edges.
- After removing from the oven, let the casserole rest for 10 minutes to help it set and make serving easier.
- Optional: Garnish with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley before serving warm.
Notes
- Cheese variation works well, so feel free to swap mozzarella or Parmesan with cheddar or Swiss for different flavor profiles.
- Gluten-free adaptation is simple by using gluten-free crackers instead of Ritz and checking cream of chicken soup ingredients.
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, so let cream cheese and other dairy products sit out for 30 minutes before mixing.
- Rotisserie chicken makes an excellent time-saving shortcut and adds extra flavor to the casserole’s base protein.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 755
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 570 mg
- Fat: 70 g
- Saturated Fat: 38 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 30 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 13 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 185 mg