Million Dollar Chicken Casserole gets its name because it’s rich, creamy, indulgent, and tastes like a million bucks, but this one costs under $10 to make! I make mine with tender chicken, browned mushrooms, green onions, and a buttery cracker topping, all baked together in an easy, creamy, cheesy from-scratch sauce (no condensed soup here!). This million dollar chicken casserole turns simple ingredients into a golden-topped dinner I can have on the table in just over an hour, and I’ll happily make it for family dinners, meal prep, or dropping off to someone who could use a homemade meal.
Creamy Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
A lot of million dollar chicken casserole recipes use canned cream soup, but I wanted this version to taste fresher while still keeping it easy and affordable. The sauce starts right in the skillet with butter, browned mushrooms, green onions, garlic, flour, broth, and milk, then I stir in cottage cheese, sour cream, and sharp cheddar for the creamy “million dollar” finish. Making the sauce from scratch lets me control the salt, seasoning, and ingredients, and it only adds a few extra minutes! Plus, searing the chicken and browning the mushrooms first gives the whole casserole a deeper, cozier flavor before it bakes up bubbly under those buttery cracker crumbs. 😋
Recipe Success Tips
- Use leftover chicken if you’ve got it. Cooked diced, shredded, or rotisserie chicken all work here as a shortcut! Use about 3½-4 cups cooked chicken in place of the 1½ lbs. raw chicken, skip the searing step, and stir it into the sauce with the green onion tops.
- Cook the flour for 1-2 minutes. After sprinkling the flour over the mushrooms and green onions, let it cook briefly to remove the raw flour taste and help create a smoother sauce for this easy million dollar chicken casserole.
- Let the sauce thicken before baking. I gently simmer the broth and milk until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon. The butter and flour need a little heat to thicken the sauce properly and help the casserole bake up creamy instead of loose.
- Prep it ahead of time. Assemble the casserole up to the baking step, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Wait to add the cracker topping until just before baking, so it stays crisp. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if starting from cold.
- Keep the focus on the creamy sauce. This million dollar chicken casserole is all about the creamy from-scratch sauce and buttery cracker topping. I like to serve it with rice on the side. If you want a chicken casserole with rice baked right in, try our chicken vegetable and rice casserole instead!
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Equipment
- Large 12" skillet
- 9×13'' Casserole Dish
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1½ lbs. chicken breasts boneless, skinless & cubed, $3.86*
- 1 Tbsp vegetable oil 0.5 oz., $0.04
- 1 Tbsp butter 14g, $0.11
- ½ tsp salt $0.04
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.04
For the Creamy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp butter 14g, $0.11
- 8 oz. mushrooms sliced, $1.76
- 4 green onions thinly sliced, (whites and greens separated) $0.48
- 3 garlic cloves minced, $0.21
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 16g, $0.02
- 2 cups chicken broth 16 oz., $0.26**
- 1 cup whole milk 8 oz., $0.27
- ¼ cup full-fat cottage cheese 60g, $0.25
- ¼ cup sour cream 60g, $0.33
- ¾ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded, (85g) $0.70***
- ½ tsp salt $0.04
- ¼ tsp black pepper freshly cracked, $0.04
- ½ tsp garlic powder $0.02
- ½ tsp onion powder $0.02
For the Topping
- 1 cup buttery crackers crushed, (128g, 1 sleeve) $1.20****
- 1 Tbsp butter melted, 14g $0.11
Instructions
- Gather and prep ingredients, and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
- Heat oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cubed chicken, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, and sear for 4-5 minutes until lightly golden (it doesn't need to be fully cooked), and transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In the same skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter and add sliced mushrooms, whites of green onions, and garlic, and cook for 6-8 minutes until softened and lightly browned.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and form a roux.
- Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Stir in cottage cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Return the chicken to the skillet as well as the green parts of the onions. Stir until everything is coated.
- Pour the chicken and mushroom mixture into your prepared casserole dish.
- Crush the crackers in a zip-top bag using a rolling pin or similar tool. Toss with 1 Tbsp melted butter, then sprinkle evenly over the casserole.
- Cover the casserole dish loosely with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until bubbly and golden.
- Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to set slightly. Enjoy served sprinkled with extra green onion and over rice if desired.
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Notes
Nutrition
how to make Million Dollar Chicken Casserole step-by-step photos
Gather all of your ingredients, then preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Also lightly grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish and set it aside.
Sear the chicken: Heat 1 Tbsp vegetable oil and 1 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1½ lbs. cubed chicken breasts, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is lightly golden on the outside. It doesn’t need to be cooked through yet, since it’ll finish baking in the casserole. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
Cook the mushrooms and aromatics: In the same skillet, melt 1 Tbsp butter. Add 8 oz. sliced mushrooms, the white parts of 4 thinly sliced green onions, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften, release their moisture, and start to brown. Those browned bits in the skillet add so much extra flavor to the sauce.
Add the flour: Sprinkle 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour over the mushroom mixture and stir well so everything is evenly coated. Cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste and help build the base for a smooth, creamy sauce.
Make the sauce: Slowly whisk in 2 cups chicken broth, followed by 1 cup whole milk. Keep whisking as you pour so the sauce stays smooth. Let it gently simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until it thickens slightly and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Make it creamy and cheesy: Stir in ¼ cup full-fat cottage cheese, ¼ cup sour cream, ¾ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, the remaining ½ tsp salt, and the remaining ¼ tsp black pepper. Stir until the cheese melts and the sauce looks creamy and well combined.
Add the chicken back in: Return the seared chicken to the skillet, along with the green parts of the sliced green onions. Stir until the chicken is coated in the sauce and everything is evenly mixed.
Transfer to the baking dish: Spoon the chicken and mushroom mixture into the prepared 9×13-inch casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Make sure the chicken is tucked into the sauce so it finishes cooking evenly.
Make the cracker topping: Add 1 sleeve buttery crackers (128g) to a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin until you have coarse crumbs (about 1 cup crushed).
Then pour 1 Tbsp melted butter into the bag with the crushed crackers.
Bake: Evenly sprinkle the cracker topping over the top of the casserole. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the cracker topping is golden.
Let it rest before serving: Allow the casserole to sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. This gives the sauce a few minutes to settle so it scoops more neatly. I like to finish it with extra green onion and serve it over rice, but this is optional. Serve and enjoy!
What Else Can I Add?
I love this million dollar casserole as written, of course! But you can add whatever veggies you like, need to use up, found on sale, or have in season. Here are some delicious veggie add-ins to try:
- Peas: Stir frozen peas straight into the sauce when you add the chicken back to the skillet. They warm through quickly and add a pop of sweetness.
- Spinach: Sauté fresh spinach with the mushrooms until wilted, or stir thawed frozen spinach into the sauce after squeezing out as much liquid as possible.
- Broccoli: Blanch fresh broccoli florets first, then stir them into the filling before transferring everything to the casserole dish. Broccoli makes the casserole feel a little more veggie-forward and adds nice texture.
- Carrots: Blanch small diced or thinly sliced carrots before adding them to the filling so they soften enough in the oven.
- Bell peppers: Dice them small and sauté them with the mushrooms, green onion whites, and garlic. They add a brighter flavor and a extra color, especially if you use red, yellow, or orange peppers!
Serving Suggestions
This recipe for million dollar chicken casserole makes 6 servings (about 2 cups each), so spooning it over rice or egg noodles is an easy way to make it even more filling for a midweek dinner or meal prepping!
A simple salad is a really easy side to throw together while the casserole bakes and gives the plate a lighter contrast. I also love these balsamic roasted vegetables because they add a deeper roasted flavor alongside the casserole. Some sautéed vegetables (whatever is in season), are a quick stovetop option for something colorful and easy. Finish each serving with extra sliced green onions or a little more cheddar if you want even more flavor.
Storage & Reheating
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or warm a larger portion in a 325°F oven until heated through. If the cracker topping softens after storing, pop the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes to bring back some of that buttery crunch. You can also freeze this casserole for up to 2 months, but I recommend freezing it without the cracker topping for the best texture. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Love Cozy Chicken Casseroles? Try These Recipes Next:
- This Chicken Vegetable Rice Casserole uses mostly pantry and freezer staples, which makes it such a helpful tight-grocery-week dinner!
- I’d serve our King Ranch Chicken Casserole when I want something cozy, cheesy, and a little more fun than plain chicken and veggies.
- Our Chicken and Biscuit Casserole keeps things simple with a creamy skillet filling and homemade biscuits baked right on top.
More Creamy Chicken Recipes
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