Description

Classic poppy seed chicken casserole made with cream of chicken soup, sour cream, tender chicken, and a golden Ritz cracker topping. This easy one-dish meal is perfect for busy weeknights or feeding a crowd.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Layer:

5 cups cooked chicken breasts, cubed or shredded (rotisserie chicken is your friend here!)
2 cups cooked rice (optional, but makes it a complete meal)

For the Creamy Sauce:

2 (10.75-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional, but recommended)
1 teaspoon celery salt (optional)
1 teaspoon minced garlic (optional)
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)

For the Buttery Topping:

2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 1 1/2 sleeves)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional, but they give it that classic look)

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat Your Oven

Set your oven to 350°F. This gives you time to get everything assembled while it’s warming up.

Step 2: Prepare the Casserole Dish

If you’re using rice as a base, spread 2 cups of cooked rice evenly across the bottom of your 9×13-inch casserole dish. Then layer your cubed or shredded chicken on top. No rice? Just put the chicken directly in the dish.

Step 3: Make the Creamy Sauce

In a mixing bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup and sour cream until smooth. If you’re adding the optional flavorings (and you really should when you have five extra minutes), stir in the Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper. Pour this creamy goodness all over the chicken.

Step 4: Create the Buttery Cracker Topping

In a separate bowl, combine your crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter. Mix until all the crumbs are coated. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the chicken and sauce, then finish with poppy seeds on top.

Step 5: Bake Until Golden

Pop the casserole into your preheated oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the top is beautifully browned and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Step 6: Serve and Enjoy

Let it cool for just a few minutes, then serve it plain, over rice, or with your favorite sides.

Notes

Use a potato masher to crush your Ritz crackers right in the package—saves you from dirtying another bowl or pulling out the food processor. Just remove some air first so the bag doesn’t pop.

If your family prefers more sauce, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the soup mixture. It thins it out just enough to make it extra saucy without being runny.

The biggest mistake people make is overbaking. Watch for those bubbles around the edges and that golden-brown top—once you see them, you’re done. Overbaking dries out the chicken and can make the crackers taste burnt instead of toasty.

Room temperature sour cream mixes more smoothly with the soup. Just take it out of the fridge while you’re gathering your other ingredients.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Dish
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American