Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole is one of my favorite easy main dishes. You can find this recipe in my new cookbook and memoir, Love Language of the South, in the chapter “Compassion in a Casserole . . . or Cake Pan.”
Compassion in a Casserole
Young parents, you are showing hospitality every time you prepare dinner for your family. Grandparents, you, like my Granny, are showing hospitality every time you look into the eyes of your grandchild and say, “Good Job. I love you,” or make their favorite poppyseed casserole. You are bringing life, healing from the world’s bullies, and nourishment to them.
Even without inviting folks into our homes, we can be hospitable by providing for their needs in their time of need.
This rich and creamy chicken casserole topped with buttery Ritz crackers is an ultimate comfort food. It will say “hospitality” every time.
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Ingredients
You likely already have most of the ingredients of this casserole recipe on hand.
- Skinless chicken breasts: If you’re in a time crunch, it’s perfectly fine to start with leftover or store-bought cooked chicken.
- Olive oil: for baking the chicken.
- Canned cream of chicken soup: provides the base of the creamy sauce.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: adds extra creaminess, extra comfort.
- Buttery Ritz cracker topping: adds crunch and incredible flavor.
- Butter: because a buttery cracker topping needs plenty of it.
- Poppy seeds: The subtly nutty flavor of these seeds adds the finishing touch. Learn more about poppy seeds in cooking.
What goes well with poppy seed chicken casserole?
You can serve poppy seed chicken casserole with simple vegetable sides like: big Italian salad, baked potatoes, cucumber salad, a green vegetable like garlic green beans, roasted broccoli, roasted asparagus, and glazed baby carrots. And after the veggies, don’t forget dessert!
How do you freeze a chicken casserole?
The challenge with freezing a creamy-crunchy casserole is to preserve the texture. Nobody wants soggy topping! This poppy seed chicken casserole will freeze well as long as you prepare it up to but not including the crunchy topping. Cover the casserole dish tightly in plastic wrap and freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight before adding the topping and baking the casserole as directed.
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 cup good mayonnaise Hellman’s or Dukes
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 16 ounces of sour cream
- 1 ½ sleeves crushed buttery crackers, about 2 cups Ritz crackers are best
- 1 ½ sticks butter 1 ½ cups, melted
- 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place chicken breasts on a baking dish lined with lightly greased aluminum foil. Drizzle olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Turn the breasts over and repeat. Place them in the oven for about 35 minutes, or until they are cooked through and reach 165°F. Remove from the oven and shred the chicken using two forks and set aside. Lower the heat to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise, soup, and sour cream. Add the chicken to the mixture and gently stir until combined. Spoon mixture into a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.
- In another bowl, add the crushed crackers and melted butter and toss until all the crackers are coated with butter. Top the chicken mixture with the crackers and sprinkle the poppy seeds over the top of the crackers.
- Place the casserole in a 350° oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until warmed through and bubbly. Serve hot over rice. Serves 10-12 people.
