Million Dollar Chicken Casserole with Pasta

A plate of million dollar chicken casserole served up on the table.

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole with Pasta

This recipe for Million Dollar Chicken Casserole is a great way to use pre-cooked chicken and pasta. It’s easy to prepare and loaded with flavor and texture.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Servings:

Calories: 975kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

2 10.5-ounce cans cream of chicken soup
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken about 1 full rotisserie chicken
1 pound bacon cooked crisp and crumbled or chopped, divided
6 oz cream cheese, softened and cubed
¾ cup sour cream
½ tablespoon minced garlic
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 cup shredded Monterey Colby jack cheese blend divided
4 cups rotini pasta cooked to package instructions
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 sleeve ritz crackers crushed, (about 32 crackers)
3 tablespoons salted butter melted
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon to stir together the cream of chicken soup, half of the bacon, cream cheese, sour cream, garlic and onion powder. The cream cheese may remain slightly chunky, this is ok, it will melt when baked.
Add the pasta to the mixture and fold in carefully so you don’t break the noodles up too much.
Add the mixture to your casserole dish and top with the mozzarella and the remaining Monterey Colby jack cheese.
In a small bowl, combine the crackers and butter, folding lightly until you have a fluffy mixture and all crackers are lightly coated in butter and sprinkle over the cheese.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the crackers are golden and the edges are bubbly.
Garnish with the green onion and remaining bacon and serve warm.

Video

Notes

Don’t overcook the pasta: I like to cook the pasta until al dente so it doesn’t become mushy after it continues to cook in the oven.
Use the slow cooker. Prepare as directed but leave out the the pasta and cook it on low for about 2 hours. Add the pasta, stir together, and finish with the cheese and cracker crumbs on top. The residual heat will melt the cheese. You can also transfer it to a baking dish, add the cheese and cracker crumbs, and broil in your oven until golden on top.
Make ahead and freeze: Prepare and assemble the dish as directed, but do not bake. Wrap the dish in plastic wrap or foil and store it in the freezer for 2-3 months. When you want to cook it, place the frozen casserole into the oven and cook at 350°F for 50 minutes to an hour. If the crackers start to get too brown, you can cover with foil and continue baking. Since the sauce contains dairy, there may be some separation in the sauce after freezing it.

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