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This million dollar chicken casserole recipe is pure comfort food. Turn tender shredded chicken into a creamy, cheesy casserole topped with crushed Ritz crackers.
Easy, instant pot-friendly million dollar chicken casserole is one of our favorite comfort-food dinners. It’s cozy, filling, and quick to prepare. I love that I can use pantry ingredients to make it, so if I’m stuck on what to make for dinner, it’s an easy choice. Round out this satisfying meal with a side of avocado tomato salad and finish it with a plate of warm homemade fudgy brownies or millionaire bars for a treat.
Why You’ll Love This Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
- Easy. Your instant pot will cook the chicken thighs, then all you have to do is mix up the casserole ingredients and pop everything in the oven.
- Flavorful. Every bite of this chicken casserole is rich and creamy thanks to the cream cheese, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup. A handful of seasonings add fantastic flavors in every bite.
- Satisfying. This simple chicken casserole is made with tender chicken, a mix of cheeses, and a crunchy Ritz cracker topping! It fills bellies and leaves everyone happy.
- Perfect way to use leftover chicken. You can use any kind of cooked chicken. Just shred it up and follow the recipe as directed.
Why Is It Called Million Dollar Chicken?
This chicken casserole is called “million dollar” chicken because it tastes like a million bucks. If you were served this recipe at a fancy restaurant, you’d think it was filled with expensive ingredients to achieve that rich and creamy flavor, but nope! All you need are pantry staples and some Ritz crackers to make it.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a quick overview of key ingredients along with my notes on substitutions. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list.
- Chicken thighs – Boneless and skinless. You could also use chicken breasts or even shredded rotisserie chicken.
- Whipped cream cheese – I prefer whipped cream cheese because it blends easily with the other ingredients, and you don’t have to wait for it to come to room temperature.
- Sour cream – This adds a subtle tang to the chicken base. You can also use Greek yogurt.
- Condensed cream of chicken soup – Cream of mushroom soup is a good alternative.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – You can also use shredded Mexican cheese blend.
- Ritz crackers – Crushed pretzels or potato chips (especially Ruffles), work just as well. You could even try it with a cornflake topping similar to this hashbrown casserole.
- Scallions – Just the greens, for an optional garnish.
Variation Ideas
- Crispy bacon – Cook up some crispy bacon, let it cool, then chop it up and add it to the chicken base before adding the Ritz cracker topping.
- Rice – Toss in 1 cup of cooked rice to make it even heartier. White rice and brown rice both work.
- Broccoli – Add up to 1 cup of cooked and chopped broccoli.
- Potatoes – Take inspiration from this my hamburger potato casserole and add 1 cup of cooked and chopped potatoes.
Tips for Success
- Make ahead. You can prepare this chicken casserole the day before, then cover it with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge. The next day, remove the plastic, then pop it in the oven and bake as directed. Add a few minutes to the baking time so that the casserole has time to heat all the way through.
- Another soup? If you’re out of cream chicken soup, try another “cream of” soup, such as cream of mushroom soup.
- Use rotisserie chicken. Streamline prep and use rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or even turkey!
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
This Million Dollar Chicken Casserole recipe features tender shredded chicken tossed in a creamy, cheesy sauce and topped with crushed Ritz crackers.
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
For the Chicken Casserole
- 3 ounces whipped cream cheese
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup cottage cheese
- 10.5 ounces can of condensed cream of chicken soup
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 cups crushed Ritz crackers
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- scallions, optional garnish
Instructions
Make the shredded chicken
- Combine the ingredients in the Instant Pot. Add the chicken thighs, sea salt, ground black pepper, and olive oil to the bowl of an Instant Pot. Stir to coat the chicken in the olive oil and seasoning. Add the onion, garlic, and chicken broth and stir to mix.
- Cook. Seal the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When the cook time is up, allow the pressure to naturally release.
- Shred. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken from the pressure cooker to a cutting board. Shred the chicken with two forks and set it aside. Discard everything else.
To assemble and bake
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Make the creamy layer. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whipped cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese until well incorporated. Add the condensed cream of chicken soup and mix to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients. To the mixing bowl, add the cheese, the shredded chicken, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano. Stir to combine. Transfer the cheesy chicken mixture to a casserole dish.
- Make the topping. In a separate bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers and the unsalted butter and mix to combine. Evenly distribute the Ritz cracker mixture over the contents of the casserole dish.
- Bake. Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake the casserole for 45 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Remove the chicken casserole from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with finely chopped scallion greens over the top and serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 1351mg | Potassium: 430mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
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How to Make a Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
- Cook the chicken. Add the chicken thighs, sea salt, ground black pepper, olive oil, onion, garlic, and stock. to the bowl of an Instant Pot. Seal the Instant Pot and set it to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Shred. Transfer the chicken to a platter or cutting board and shred it.
- Make filling. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the whipped cream cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese until well incorporated.
- Add remaining ingredients. Stir in the condensed cream of chicken soup, shredded cheddar cheese, salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried oregano.
- Add chicken. Stir in the shredded chicken,.
- Place in pan. Transfer the cheesy chicken mixture to a 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Make topping. Combine the crushed Ritz crackers and the unsalted butter in a bowl.
- Add topping. Evenly distribute the Ritz cracker mixture over the contents of the baking pan.
- Bake. Place in a 350°F oven and bake for 45 minutes.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge – Let your casserole cool, then cover the baking dish tightly with saran wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the fridge. You can also scoop the casserole into airtight containers before storing it in the fridge. It will keep for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – To freeze before baking, assemble the casserole and cover it tightly with a few layers of saran wrap plus a couple of layers of aluminum foil. Then pop it in the freezer. It will keep for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat it, thaw it overnight in the fridge and then bake it as directed. You will need to add some cooking time because the casserole will be cold.
- To Reheat – Scoop your desired amount into a microwave-safe bowl and zap until warmed. Reheat single servings and then stir halfway through to make sure your food heats evenly.
