Million Dollar Chicken Casserole with Crispy Topping
This Million Dollar Chicken Casserole is the kind of dish that becomes family lore—the creamy, savory filling studded with tender chicken and veggies, topped with a buttery, crunchy cracker crust. It’s comforting, reliably delicious, and easy enough for a weeknight yet pretty enough to bring to a potluck.
I love how the flavors come together: sour cream and condensed soup make the sauce luxuriously rich while cheddar and Parmesan add depth. It’s forgiving, too—use leftover rotisserie chicken, swap vegetables, or make it ahead and bake when guests arrive.
Nutrition (per serving)
Directions
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1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
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2
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more; remove from heat.
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3
In a large bowl combine condensed soup, sour cream, mayonnaise, chicken broth, paprika, salt, and pepper. Stir in cooked shredded chicken, sautéed onions and garlic, frozen peas and carrots, and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar. Mix until evenly combined.
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4
Spread the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer.
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5
In a medium bowl toss crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter and grated Parmesan. Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the casserole, then top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese.
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6
Bake uncovered until bubbly and golden, about 35–40 minutes. If the topping browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
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7
Remove from oven and let rest 5–10 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped chives before serving.
Ingredients
- Cooked shredded chicken:3 cups
- Condensed cream of chicken soup:10.5 oz
- Sour cream:1 cup
- Mayonnaise:1/2 cup
- Chicken broth:1/4 cup
- Shredded cheddar cheese:2 cups
- Grated Parmesan cheese:1/2 cup
- Frozen peas and carrots:1 cup
- Yellow onion, finely diced:1/2 cup
- Garlic:2 cloves
- Ritz crackers, crushed:2 cups
- Unsalted butter, melted:4 tbsp
- Olive oil:1 tbsp
- Paprika:1 tsp
- Salt:1 tsp
- Black pepper:1/2 tsp
- Chopped fresh chives (optional):2 tbsp
Tips & Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time—about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds cooked yields 3 cups shredded.
- Make ahead: assemble the casserole, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours; add 5–10 minutes to baking time if chilled.
- Swap the peas and carrots for broccoli florets or mixed vegetables, and adjust salt to taste if your chicken is salted.
