Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword million-dollar-chicken-casserole

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings servings (may vary)

Calories 597kcal

Ingredients

6 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
6 oz chive and onion cream cheese softened
3/4 cup sour cream
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
2 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt adjust amount to your taste
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp dried thyme or Italian seasoning
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided use
1 cup monterey jack cheese
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
chopped fresh parsley for garnishing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking dish with softened butter or spray with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth.
Add the cream of chicken soup, granulated garlic, seasoned salt, black pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika and thyme. Stir until well blended.
Fold in the shredded chicken and 1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese, making sure it's evenly distributed and coated with the creamy mixture. (Toss together the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup monterey jack cheese for the top.)
Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with the reserved 1 cup cheese.
In a small bowl, combine crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter and Parmesan cheese until well coated. Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the casserole.
Lay a piece of foil on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Allow the casserole to rest for 5 minutes before sprinkling with fresh parsley and serve with rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

Notes

Cooked Chicken - Use a mix of white and dark meat chicken for the best flavor. You can use poached chicken, baked chicken, split chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken for a quick option. Any leftover chicken will work.
Cheese - I like to use freshly grated cheese to make my own cheese blend. For a time saver, you can use pre-shredded cheese. Mild cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, pepper jack cheese, mozzarella cheese or gruyere cheese would all work well.
Cottage Cheese - You can swap out the mayonnaise using cottage cheese.
Soup - You could use cream of mushroom soup or cream of celery soup.
Spices - Smoked paprika adds depth and warmth to the flavor, don’t skip it. You could also add a few dashes of hot sauce for extra kick.
Veggies - Add cooked broccoli or baby spinach, green onions, mushrooms, green beans or peas to make this a one dish meal.
Peppers - Make it spicy by adding chopped jalapeños or a can of diced green chiles to the filling.
Crispy Topping - Try topping this easy chicken casserole with crushed club crackers or cornflakes instead of crackers for extra crunch.
Sour Cream - You can replace the sour cream, using Greek yogurt, if you want it lighter.
Individual Servings - You can divide the chicken mixture baking in individual ramekins for individual portions.
Serving Option - Pair this chicken casserole with a crisp salad to balance the richness. You could also serve it over rice, egg noodles or with a heaping helping of mashed potatoes.

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