Million Dollar Chicken
Million dollar chicken is a simple recipe that tastes AMAZING! Tender chicken breasts are topped with a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon and green onions and baked to perfection! This is such an easy meal that everyone loves!
I personally think most anything can be improved with the addition of cheese and bacon, and chicken is no exception! This is one of those recipes that is super simple to make but tastes… well like a million dollars! It is a great weeknight dinner or perfect for entertaining! This is a great recipe for any time of the year, the simple ingredients are easy to find at any local grocery store so you can have it on regular rotation!
I love easy dinner recipes that the whole family loves and this one absolutely fits the bill! It is a great way to dress up plain chicken breasts and get out of a boring dinner rut! The best part is that it is so easy! It is one of my favorite recipes to make when I feel like I’ve been cooking the same thing over and over again! This million dollar chicken casserole will be on your menu over and over!
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Frequently asked questions & Tips
Can this recipe be made into a casserole?
Yes! It’s actually really simple to turn this into Million dollar chicken casserole! The only real difference is that the chicken for a casserole needs to be cut into small pieces. You can use leftover chicken, or a rotisserie chicken to make it a quick and easy chicken dinner! If you’re starting with raw chicken cut it into bite size pieces, season them, and then brown them. If you’re starting with cooked chicken just cut it into small pieces or use shredded chicken. You can even use a whole roast chicken or chicken cooked in the Instant pot! Place your chicken in the bottom of a large baking dish and then top it with the cream cheese mixture, cheese, and bacon and bake! The cooking time will be less with smaller pieces of chicken so keep an eye on it! If you make a casserole you can add a crispy layer on top using panko bread crumbs or crushed ritz crackers to add another layer of flavor to your million dollar chicken casserole!
Season your chicken-
When it comes to the chicken in this recipe I find it tastes best when it is seasoned and browned before being topped and baked. The best way to do this is by seasoning it up with basic seasonings and browning it in a skillet with a little butter or olive oil. You don’t need to do much, I like to stick to basic tasty seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. They give the cooked chicken a nice flavor that compliments that creamy sauce beautifully!
Can I use different cheese?
Absolutely! I thing sharp cheddar compliments the other million dollar sauce ingredients beautifully so that is usually my go to. But if you prefer a more mild taste you can use another cheese. Mild cheddar, Monterey jack, mozzarella cheese or Colby jack cheese work well in this recipe! For a little extra spice you can use pepper jack!
What should I serve with this chicken?
This is a great main dish chicken recipe that goes with so many side dishes! To keep it simple I usually pair it with a steamed vegetable like green beans or broccoli. It is also great with an nice side salad! It also goes well with rice or noodles, or even roast potatoes. Add a piece of fresh bread like Italian bread or sour dough bread for a real treat! You can also serve it over pasta or spaghetti with alfredo sauce or just a little butter and parmesan cheese!
Can I freeze this chicken?
Yes! This chicken makes a great freezer meal! I like to make a double batch when I make it and freeze one for later. To do this you’ll want to cook your chicken through when you brown it. Then place it in the baking dish, let it cool completely and top with the cream cheese mixture. Then wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze. When ready to bake remove it from the freezer and place in the fridge 24 hours in advance. Then bake according to the recipe instructions.
Can I use chicken thighs?
Yes! If you prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs you can use them in this million dollar chicken bake! Chicken thigh meat is dark meat and has a little more fat than chicken breasts so the baked chicken is a little more moist.
Here’s what you’ll need for this recipe
2 Lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
8 oz Cream Cheese- softened
1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
8 Bacon Slices- cooked crispy & crumbled
1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onions (about 4)
1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp. Garlic or Onion powder
Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
Here’s how to make this million dollar chicken
Preheat your oven to 350. Prepare a 13×9 baking dish or casserole dish by lightly buttering it or spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and about 1/4 of the bacon crumbles.
In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and mayo. Stir until well combined.
Add in the remaining shredded cheese, bacon and green onion pieces. Stir until everything is well incorporated. Set the mixture aside.
Now we’re going to prepare the chicken. For this recipe I like to have thin pieces of chicken instead of thick breasts because they cook faster and you get plenty of the topping with every bite of chicken. So I like to slice them in half.
To do this lay the chicken breast flat on a cutting board or other work surface.
Hold a sharp knife along the long side of the chicken breast, slice through the breast as evenly as possible, creating two cutlets.
Now pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper and garlic or onion powder.
Place butter or olive oil in a large non stick or cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is warmed up add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until the chicken is a nice golden brown. You don’t need to cook it all the way through, it will continue cooking in the oven. We just want to sear it to give it some nice flavor.
Place the seared chicken across the bottom of the prepared baking pan in an even layer.
Spread the cream cheese mixture across the chicken as evenly as possible.
Sprinkle with the reserved shredded cheese and crumbled bacon pieces.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the cooked chicken reaches 165. Your cook time may vary depending on how thick your chicken is. I like to use a meat thermometer to check so they don’t overbake. But a good indicator is the topping being nice and melted and the chicken juices on the bottom of the pan.
Serve warm.
Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.
Million Dollar Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 Lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
- 8 oz Cream Cheese- softened
- 1/4 Cup Mayonnaise
- 8 Bacon Slices- cooked crispy & crumbled
- 1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onions about 4
- 1 1/2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Salt & Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Butter or Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350. Prepare a 13×9 baking dish by lightly buttering it or spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
- Set aside 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and about 1/4 of the bacon pieces.
- In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese and mayo. Stir until well combined.
- Add in the remaining shredded cheese, bacon and green onion pieces. Stir until everything is well incorporated. Set the mixture aside.
- Now we’re going to prepare the chicken. For this recipe I like to have thin pieces of chicken instead of thick breasts because they cook faster and you get plenty of the topping with every bite of chicken. So I like to slice them in half.
- To do this lay the chicken breast flat on a cutting board or other work surface.
- Hold a sharp knife along the long side of the chicken breast, slice through the breast as evenly as possible, creating two cutlets.
- Now pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Place butter or olive oil in a large non stick or cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is warmed up add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until the chicken is a nice golden brown. You don’t need to cook it all the way through, it will continue cooking in the oven. We just want to sear it to give it some nice flavor.
- Place the seared chicken across the bottom of the prepared baking pan in an even layer.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture across the chicken as evenly as possible.
- Sprinkle with the reserved shredded cheese and bacon pieces.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165. Your cook time may vary depending on how thick your chicken is. I like to use a meat thermometer to check so they don’t overbake. But a good indicator is the topping being nice and melted and the chicken juices on the bottom of the pan.
- Serve warm.
- Store leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container.
Awesome meal, WOW !!! Made it tonight for my wife of 40 years for mother’s day accompanied with roasted potatoes and roasted veggies. My wife loved it so much she licked the bowl of topping mix. Thanks for your help making this another wonderful mother’s day.
That is wonderful! I’m glad I helped you spoil your wife on Mother’s Day, sounds like you did an amazing job!