Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Your Dish

First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. This will prevent the casserole from sticking and make cleanup much easier.

Step 2: Prepare the Chicken

If you haven’t already, cook and shred your chicken. The easiest method is to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Simply remove the skin and bones, and shred the meat using two forks or your hands. You should have about 4 cups of shredded chicken. If cooking from scratch, you can boil or bake 2-3 large chicken breasts until cooked through, then let them cool slightly before shredding.

Step 3: Mix the Creamy Filling

In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese. It is crucial that the cream cheese is at room temperature. If it’s cold, it will be lumpy and difficult to incorporate. Use a hand mixer or a sturdy spatula to beat the cream cheese until it is smooth and creamy.

Once the cream cheese is smooth, add the cottage cheese, sour cream, condensed cream of chicken soup, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Mix everything together until it is well combined and the mixture is smooth and uniform. There should be no visible lumps of cream cheese.

Gently fold in the 4 cups of shredded chicken and the optional sliced green onions. Stir until every piece of chicken is evenly coated in the creamy sauce.

Step 4: Assemble the Casserole

Pour the chicken mixture into your prepared 9×13-inch baking dish. Use a spatula to spread it out into an even layer, making sure it reaches all the corners of the dish.

Step 5: Prepare the Buttery Topping

Place the Ritz crackers from one sleeve into a large zip-top bag. Seal the bag, removing most of the air. Use a rolling pin or the bottom of a glass to gently crush the crackers. You’re looking for coarse crumbs, not a fine powder. A mix of small pieces and larger crumbs will give the topping the best texture.

Pour the crushed crackers into a small bowl. Drizzle the 1/2 cup of melted butter over the crumbs and toss gently with a fork until all the crumbs are evenly moistened.

Step 6: Top and Bake

Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs evenly over the top of the chicken mixture in the baking dish. Make sure to cover the entire surface from edge to edge for maximum crispy goodness.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. The casserole is done when the filling is hot and bubbly around the edges and the cracker topping is a deep golden brown. If the topping starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent the dish with aluminum foil for the last 5-10 minutes of baking.

Step 7: Rest and Serve

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest on a wire rack for at least 10-15 minutes before serving. This crucial step allows the casserole to set up, making it easier to scoop and serve. If you cut into it immediately, it will be very runny.