Description
Southern comfort meets creamy perfection in this poppy seed chicken casserole, a hearty dish blending tender chicken, rich cream sauce, and buttery cracker topping. Crisp edges and golden-brown crumbs promise a delightful meal you’ll savor down to the last comforting bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups cooked chicken breasts, chopped
- 1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
Dairy and Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1.5 teaspoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the cooking surface by coating an 8×8-inch baking vessel with non-stick spray and set oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Create a velvety sauce by whisking together tangy sour cream, rich cream of chicken soup, zesty Worcestershire sauce, and bright lemon juice in a mixing bowl until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Distribute tender, pre-cooked chicken pieces uniformly across the prepared baking dish, ensuring an even layer.
- Gently cascade the creamy sauce over the chicken, allowing it to envelope each morsel completely.
- Craft a crispy topping by pulverizing Ritz crackers and blending them with melted butter until they form a golden, crumbly mixture.
- Liberally scatter the buttery cracker crumbs across the casserole’s surface, creating a textured landscape.
- Sprinkle a delicate dusting of poppy seeds over the cracker topping, adding visual appeal and subtle nutty flavor.
- Transfer the casserole to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, watching for a golden-brown crust and bubbling sauce.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving, letting the flavors meld and settle.
- Plate and savor the warm, comforting dish immediately.
Notes
- Enhance protein variety by swapping chicken with turkey, rotisserie chicken, or plant-based alternatives for vegetarian diets.
- Create a gluten-free version by using gluten-free crackers instead of Ritz and ensuring soup is gluten-free certified.
- Reduce calories by substituting low-fat sour cream, using Greek yogurt, and choosing reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup.
- Elevate flavor complexity by adding fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary to the cream sauce for an aromatic twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 392 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 520 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg