Description
Comforting poppy seed chicken casserole brings Southern hospitality straight to dinner tables with creamy, crunchy charm. Simple ingredients blend into a nostalgic meal that welcomes friends and family around warm, delicious memories.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups cooked shredded or diced chicken
- 1 can (10.5 ounces / 298 grams) cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Topping Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (about 30), crushed
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Seasoning:
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Thoroughly combine shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in a spacious mixing vessel until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Transfer the creamy chicken mixture into a prepared rectangular baking dish, ensuring an even spread across the surface.
- Create a crispy topping by meticulously crushing Ritz crackers and blending them with melted butter until achieving a uniform texture.
- Generously scatter the buttery cracker crumbs across the entire surface of the chicken mixture, creating a complete golden-brown coverage.
- Position the casserole in a preheated oven calibrated to 350°F (175°C), allowing it to bake until the edges become effervescent and the top transforms into a rich, amber-hued crust.
- After removing from the oven, permit the casserole to rest momentarily, allowing flavors to settle and temperature to moderate slightly.
- Serve the casserole atop a bed of fluffy rice, tender noodles, or accompanied by vibrant seasonal vegetables for a complete and satisfying meal.
Notes
- Elevate the dish’s protein by using rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken for extra flavor depth.
- Swap out traditional Ritz crackers with gluten-free alternatives to make this recipe celiac-friendly and accommodate dietary restrictions.
- Boost nutritional value by adding steamed broccoli or spinach directly into the chicken mixture for a veggie-packed one-dish meal.
- Reduce sodium content by choosing low-sodium cream of chicken soup and using reduced-fat cheese options without sacrificing delicious taste.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 80mg