Dolly Parton’s 5-Ingredient Casserole

Found this recipe scribbled on a note card at my mom’s house last Christmas. She’d written “Dolly’s chicken thing – MAKE THIS” across the top in all caps with three exclamation points.

Apparently she’d gotten it from her friend Carol who swears Dolly Parton herself makes this exact casserole when she needs something quick and delicious. Don’t know if that’s actually true or if it’s one of those “my aunt’s cousin’s hairdresser knows Dolly” situations, but honestly? Doesn’t matter. It’s ridiculously good either way.

Made it the next week on a Wednesday when I had zero energy for cooking. Literally just threw five things in a pan and shoved it in the oven. Thirty minutes later, had dinner. My teenage son, who claims to hate casseroles, ate two helpings and asked if we could have it again on Friday.

So yeah. It’s a keeper.

Why This Works

It’s five ingredients. FIVE. And they’re all things you probably already have or can grab at any grocery store without hunting through specialty aisles.

No chopping vegetables. No browning meat. No complicated sauce. Just open cans, mix stuff, bake.

The flavor’s way better than it has any right to be for something this easy. That cream of chicken soup might be retro but there’s a reason it’s been around since the 1930s – it works. Adds creaminess and that savory chicken flavor without you having to do anything.

And those Ritz crackers on top? Turn into this buttery, crispy, salty crust that’s basically the best part. My husband picks them off first and eats them separately. We’ve had discussions about this.

What You Actually Need

Chicken – 3 cups cooked and shredded. That’s a whole rotisserie chicken from the grocery store or about a pound of cooked chicken breasts. I usually buy rotisserie chickens when they’re on sale, shred them, freeze the meat in portions, and use it for exactly this kind of thing.

Cream of chicken soup – One can. The regular condensed stuff. I use Campbell’s but whatever brand’s on your shelf works.

Sour cream – 1 cup. Full fat, light, doesn’t matter. Just not Greek yogurt – tried that once and it was weird.

Cheddar cheese – 1½ cups shredded. Sharp tastes better but mild works if that’s what the kids will eat.

Butter crackers – One sleeve of Ritz or the store brand equivalent. You’re going to crush them up.

That’s literally it. Five things. Told you.

Making This Super Simple Dinner

Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Or use an 8×8 if that’s what you’ve got – close enough.

Dump your shredded chicken in a bowl. Add the entire can of cream of chicken soup and the sour cream. Mix it all up until it’s combined. Doesn’t need to be perfect, just mixed.

Scoop out half of that chicken mixture and spread it in the bottom of your baking dish. Sprinkle half the shredded cheese on top.

Put the rest of the chicken mixture on top of that cheese layer. Spread it out so it covers everything. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.

Crush up your crackers. I just put them in a zip-top bag and smash them with my hands or a rolling pin. Don’t turn them into powder – you want some chunks. Sprinkle the cracker crumbs all over the top.

Stick it in the oven for 30 minutes. It’s done when it’s bubbling around the edges and the cracker topping’s golden brown.

Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving so you don’t burn your mouth on molten cheese. Ask me how I know this.

What I’ve Figured Out

Use rotisserie chicken. So much easier than cooking chicken just for this. Plus those chickens are already seasoned and flavorful.

Don’t skimp on the cheese. My mom tried to make it “healthier” by using only one cup of cheese. Everyone agreed it wasn’t the same. Use the full amount.

The crackers will look like too many. Use them all anyway. They shrink and settle while baking and you want that full crispy layer.

Regular Ritz work best. Tried it with whole wheat crackers once thinking I was being smart. They tasted like cardboard. Stick with the buttery ones.

Let it rest. That 5-minute wait is important. The cheese sets up a little and it’s way easier to serve.

Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded works but fresh shredded melts better and doesn’t have that weird powdery coating.

Serving This Thing

It’s rich, so a little goes further than you’d think. Recipe says serves 6 but honestly depends on how hungry people are and what else you’re serving.

Ways we eat it:

• Over white rice (my preference)
• Over egg noodles (my husband’s preference)
• With a simple side salad to feel less guilty
• Just in a bowl by itself with some bread

My sister-in-law mixes cooked egg noodles right into the casserole before baking. Makes it more like a chicken noodle bake situation. She adds an extra can of soup when she does that so it doesn’t get dry.

Could totally serve it with green beans, roasted broccoli, or just whatever vegetable you can convince your family to eat.

Ways to Change It

The beauty of this recipe is how flexible it is once you’ve made it the regular way a few times.

Add vegetables. Frozen peas or broccoli florets mixed in with the chicken works. Or add a layer of thawed and drained frozen mixed veggies in the middle.

Use different cheese. Monterey Jack, Colby, or a Mexican cheese blend all work. Haven’t tried mozzarella but that’d probably be fine too.

Make it spicy. Stir in some diced green chiles or a few shakes of hot sauce with the chicken mixture.

Sub the soup. Cream of mushroom or cream of celery would work instead of cream of chicken. Changes the flavor but still good.

Add stuffing instead of crackers. My neighbor uses crushed Stove Top stuffing on top instead of Ritz. Her kids like it better.

Turn it into a pot pie. Someone on a recipe forum said they put this mixture in a pie crust and topped it with another crust. Haven’t tried it but sounds legit.

The Make-Ahead Angle

Assemble the whole thing – chicken mixture, cheese layers, crackers – cover it with foil, and stick it in the fridge. It’ll keep for a day or two before you bake it.

When you’re ready, let it sit on the counter for 20 minutes while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. Might need an extra 5-10 minutes since it’s cold.

Can also freeze it assembled but unbaked. Wrap it really well in plastic wrap then foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before baking.

Baked leftovers reheat fine in the microwave but the crackers won’t be as crispy. Still tastes good though.

Why This Recipe Gets Made A Lot

Some recipes you make once for a special occasion. This is not that. This is a Tuesday night when you forgot to plan dinner and everyone’s hungry recipe.

It’s the kind of food that makes people happy without you having to work hard. Creamy, cheesy, crunchy, familiar. Tastes like something someone’s grandma would make.

Nobody’s going to be impressed by your culinary skills here. But they’re going to be full and satisfied and probably asking when you’re making it again. Sometimes that’s all you need from dinner.

Also, it being associated with Dolly Parton automatically makes it better. Doesn’t matter if she actually makes it or if someone just named it after her. Dolly makes everything more fun.

My mom was right with those exclamation points. Make this.