Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Crunchy, sweet, creamy, and irresistibly delicious – poppy seed chicken casserole is the ultimate comfort food.

It’s loaded with tender chicken, poppy seeds, cheddar cheese, and topped off with buttery Ritz crackers.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Perfect for family dinners and busy weeknights, you can prep this casserole in just 20 minutes!

Topped with a buttery, crunchy, cheesy masterpiece, it’s the ultimate creamy chicken casserole. Everything about this dish screams, Come back for more!

It freezes well too! But I doubt you’ll have any leftovers.

Easy enough for weeknights but special enough for company, this will be the best casserole you ever make!

Ingredients

With just seven ingredients, you can have this casserole ready in no time.

• Chicken breasts – The recipe calls for four skinless, boneless breasts cut in half. You can also use store-bought rotisserie chicken to save time. 
  
• Ritz crackers – Any round, buttery crackers will do, but Ritz is my favorite brand. You need a single sleeve. If you don’t have any, you can use Panko breadcrumbs instead. 
  
• Butter – Salted or unsalted is fine. Just be aware salted butter will make the recipe saltier. 
  
• Poppy seeds – You can find poppy seeds in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. They taste great, are good for you, and help aid in digestion. 
  
• Condensed cream of chicken soup – Don’t add water to thin out the soup. Pour it into the bowl straight from the can as-is. 
  
• Sour cream – Opt for full-fat sour cream for the best flavor. 
  
• Cheddar cheese – The cheese provides a rich, cheesy topping for the casserole. Along with the crunchy crackers, it’s the perfect way to finish off the dish. 

How to Make Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole 

This dish couldn’t be easier to throw together! Follow these simple steps:

1. Cook the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to a large pot and cover them with water. Then, heat the water over high heat until it boils. 

Cover it with a lid, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer it for 20 minutes. When ready, the chicken should be white all the way through. 

2. Shred the chicken. Drain the water and shred the chicken using two forks. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

3. Make the topping. Combine the crushed crackers, melted butter, and poppy seeds. Mix well. 

4. Make the filling. Mix the cream of chicken soup and sour cream in a clean bowl. 

5. Arrange the casserole. Pour half of the chicken soup mixture into a 9-inch baking dish. Then, add a layer of shredded chicken. Pour the other half of the soup mixture on top. 

Finally, top the casserole with the cracker mixture and cheddar cheese. 

6. Bake. Pop the casserole in the oven and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes. Then, remove it from heat, serve, and enjoy! 

Tips for the Best Casserole 

To make your casserole even better, follow these easy tips:

• Skin and debone rotisserie chickens. If you want to save time by using a rotisserie chicken, that’s fine. However, remember to remove the skin and pull the meat from the bones. 
  
• Make the sauce skinny. You can use chicken broth or chicken stock to thin the sauce. It’s unnecessary, but if you like a thinner sauce, these ingredients can make that happen. 
  
• Swap out Greek yogurt for sour cream. Both work well, so if you don’t have one, use the other. 
  
• Have fun with extra seasonings. Add garlic, cayenne, or red pepper flakes, for extra flavor. 

Variations 

The best part of this recipe is it’s easily customizable! Try these variations for a fun twist.

• Spice it up. Add diced jalapenos or ground cayenne pepper for a bit of heat. You can also substitute pepper jack cheese for cheddar. 
  
• Bulk it up with veggies. Want an even more complete, all-in-one meal? Add onions, carrots, broccoli, spinach, or other favorite veggies. 
  
• Throw in some rice. Add a layer of cooked rice under the chicken in the casserole. Or serve the casserole on top of a bed of rice. 
  
• Try turkey instead. Have some leftover turkey from Christmas or Thanksgiving? Use turkey in place of chicken. It still tastes just as good. 
  
• Try a topping twist. You can use cheese crackers instead of buttery ones. Or forget the crackers entirely! Use chips, Panko breadcrumbs, or fried onions for the topping instead. 

Serving Suggestions

Poppy seed chicken casserole is a hearty meal all on its own. However, consider pairing it with some of the following sides for the best results: 

• Green beans almondine. This recipe is my absolute favorite for making green beans. It’s butter, salty, fresh, and delicious. 
  
• Creamy broccoli salad. The crunchy broccoli, onions, and seeds, coupled with a creamy sauce and bacon, make this dish to die for. It tastes fantastic with this chicken casserole. 
  
• Cracker Barrel baby carrots. These carrots are tender, sweet, and impossible to resist. Pair them with this chicken salad or anything else. People will love them. 

Make Ahead and Storage Tips

If you want to save time, you can make this casserole beforehand.

To Make Ahead: Prepare it according to the recipe, but stop before adding the crackers. 

Tightly wrap the casserole with plastic wrap. (Wrap the cracker mixture separately in its own bowl, or add an air-tight lid.) 

To Store: Store the casserole unbaked in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Store the cracker mixture at room temperature. 

To Freeze: The process is basically the same. Store the casserole and the cracker mixture separately. 

Wrap the casserole in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. Freeze the cracker mixture in a separate freezer bag. 

To Reheat: Transfer both containers to the fridge to thaw overnight when you’re ready to bake. Then, spread the cracker mixture over the top and bake it according to the recipe instructions. (Add 5 to 10 minutes if necessary.) 

As for leftovers, let them cool completely. Then, transfer them to an air-tight container. Pop them in the fridge. They should remain fresh for up to 4 days.

To Reheat Single Servings: Heat them in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Then, take them out, stir them, and return them to the microwave. Microwave them for another 25 to 45 seconds, then serve.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Calories

593

kcal

This poppy seed chicken casserole will be your new favorite dinner! Loaded with chicken, cheese, and topped with Ritz crackers, it’s as comforting as it gets!

Ingredients

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

• 1 sleeve buttery round crackers (such as Ritz®), crushed

• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds, or more to taste

• 1 (10.75-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup

• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream

• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• Put the chicken breasts into a large pot. Add enough water to cover the chicken completely. Heat them over high heat until the water begins boiling. Then, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pot with a lid, and simmer it for approximately 20 minutes. (The chicken should be white all through, with no pink left in the middle.)
• Drain the water from the pot. Use two forks to shred the chicken. Do so carefully, as it will still be hot.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Use a large bowl to combine the crackers, melted butter, and poppy seeds. Mix well, then set it aside.
• Pour the condensed cream of chicken soup into a clean, medium-sized bowl. Then, stir in the sour cream until the two are well mixed. Transfer half of this mixture to a 9-inch square baking dish.
• Top the soup mixture with an even layer of shredded chicken. Then, pour the other half of the soup mixture on the chicken. Spread evenly with a spoon if needed. Top the casserole with cheddar cheese and the cracker mixture.
• Bake it at 350 for approximately 25 to 30 minutes. (The cheese should be melted and the sauce bubbly.) Remove from heat and allow the casserole to cool for 2 or 3 minutes. Then, spoon out helpings onto serving plates, and enjoy!

NaTaya Hastings

NaTaya Hastings is a food and recipe writer for Insanely Good Recipes. She’s an educator, boy mom, dog mom, and whatever-stray-enters-the-yard mom. As a result, she's constantly cooking for both humans and animals.

Luckily, she enjoys it!

Though born, raised, and still living in Alabama, her specialty is NOT down-home Southern cooking. Instead, she loves to experiment with Asian, Mexican, Italian, and other ethnic cuisines. She has two mottos when it comes to cooking. “The more spice, the better!” and “There’s no such thing as too much garlic!”

She’s also pretty good with desserts. Especially the easy, no-bake ones.

Her favorite things are cuddling with her four giant dogs, traveling, reading, writing, and hanging out in nature. She’s also pretty excellent at Dominoes.

See Full Bio

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