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Spoon resting in a casserole dish of Poppy Seed Chicken.
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5 from 7 votes

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole is made with chicken in a creamy sauce, buttery Ritz crackers, poppy seeds, and Parmesan cheese, then baked until hot and bubbly.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
Servings: 8
Calories: 426kcal
Author: Echo Blickenstaff

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes
  • 2 sleeves Ritz crackers
  • 1/2 cup butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • 10.5 ounces condensed cream of chicken soup or condensed cream of chicken soup substitute
  • 12 ounces sour cream
  • 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    Crush the 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers (about 2 ½ cups).
    Ziplock back of crushed Ritz crackers with a rolling pin for Poppy Seed Chicken.
  • Stir melted butter, 1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers and poppy seeds together in a bowl.
    Bowl of butter, poppy seed and crushed Ritz crackers mixture. Wooden spoon on the side.
  • Fold in uncooked chicken, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream until well blended.
    Glass bowl with combined mixture of cup up chicken breasts, sour cream, cream of chicken, crushed Ritz crackers and poppy seeds. Wooden spoon on the side.
  • Pour mixture into a 9x13 inch pan.
    Baking dish with Poppy Seed Chicken mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, mix remaining 1 cup of Ritz crackers and Parmesan cheese.
    Glass bowl of Ritz crackers mixed with parmesan cheese for Poppy Seed Chicken.
  • Spread Ritz cracker topping evenly over casserole.
    Baking dish with Poppy Seed Chicken topped with crushed Ritz and Parmesan mixture.
  • Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly, the topping is lightly browned, and the chicken reaches 165°F in the largest pieces. If needed, continue baking and check again after about 5 minutes.
    Baking dish with Poppy Seed Chicken. Poppyseeds, parsley and a spoon on the side.

Notes

  • The chicken goes into this casserole raw. Cut it evenly and cook until the largest pieces reach 165°F.
  • Don’t put all of the crackers on top. The buttery cracker and poppy seed mixture is folded into the filling before the final topping is added.
  • For a shortcut, use about 4 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken and begin checking the casserole after 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Other buttery crackers can replace Ritz. Cornflakes or breadcrumbs can also be used for the topping.
  • For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free crackers and confirm that the condensed soup is gluten-free.
  • For make-ahead prep, keep the final cracker topping separate until baking.
  • Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days and reheat to 165°F.

Nutrition

Calories: 426kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 626mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 753IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 1mg