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Close-up of creamy poppy seed chicken casserole with a golden cracker topping, fresh parsley, and wooden serving spoon.
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Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole with creamy shredded chicken in a sour cream and cream of chicken sauce, topped with a buttery Ritz cracker crust baked until golden and bubbling. Simple pantry ingredients, 45 minutes, feeds 8 people comfortably.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 438kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 5 cups cooked chicken shredded
  • 2 cans cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounces each
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cups Ritz crackers crushed
  • ½ cup butter melted
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine 5 cups shredded cooked chicken, 2 cans of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    Shredded chicken, soup, sour cream, seasonings, and poppy seeds are mixed into a thick, creamy filling.
  • In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups of crushed Ritz crackers with ½ cup melted butter. Stir until the crackers are well-coated with butter.
    Crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter are combined, then stirred together to create the casserole’s golden topping.
  • Spread the chicken mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the chicken mixture.
    Creamy chicken mixture fills a baking dish before being covered evenly with a buttery crushed cracker topping.
  • Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly. Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
    Side-by-side overhead views show baked poppy seed chicken casserole before and after a garnish of fresh parsley.
  • Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Rotisserie chicken: The easiest shortcut for this casserole. Already cooked, already seasoned, just shred and go.
  2. Season after mixing: The cream of chicken soup already has salt in it. Mix everything first, taste, then add salt and pepper rather than seasoning blind.
  3. Crush the crackers: A mix of fine crumbs and slightly larger pieces gives the best topping texture. Don't pulverize them completely.
  4. Coat the crackers well: Every crumb should be coated in butter before going on top. This is what makes the topping golden and crispy rather than dry.
  5. Cover if browning too fast: If the topping is getting dark before the filling is bubbling, lay a piece of foil loosely over the top for the remaining bake time.
  6. Make ahead: Assemble, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Add 10 minutes to the bake time since it's going in cold.
  7. Freeze: Freeze without the cracker topping for up to 3 months. Add the topping fresh before baking after thawing overnight in the fridge.
  8. Add vegetables: Frozen peas, steamed broccoli, or sautéed mushrooms all work well folded into the chicken mixture.
  9. Reheating: Oven at 325°F covered with foil until warmed through. The microwave makes the topping soft and sad so I'd avoid it if possible.
  10. Ritz cracker substitute: Club crackers are the closest alternative if Ritz aren't available.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 850mg | Potassium: 341mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 708IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 107mg | Iron: 3mg
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