Poppy Seed Chicken

A delicious, classic casserole recipe that has it all! This Poppy Seed Chicken recipe is a simple, hearty dish that will have you reaching for more. Creamy chicken that is topped with an amazing buttery Ritz cracker mixture! This will be your new favorite dinner recipe that the entire family will love. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner recipe.

If you are in need of an easy dinner recipe this Poppy Seed Chicken is the perfect one to try! It’s a creamy chicken casserole topped with a buttery cracker topping and poppy seeds. A mouthwatering combination that’s always a hit with your family.

This casserole is right about there with with Lasagna Casserole for a favorite easy weeknight comfort food.

Why this recipe works!

• This casserole is made with simple ingredients which means you might have everything on hand or can easily find it at your local grocery store.
• Prep it ahead of time and just stick it in the oven when you need dinner. It’s even freezer friendly!
• The savory sauce that’s creamy paired with the crunchy butter cracker topping makes this a delicious old fashioned comfort food.

Ingredients Needed

• Chicken breasts
• Sour cream
• cream of chicken soup
• Ritz crackers
• Butter
• poppy seeds
• Worcestershire sauce
• Celery salt
• Garlic
• Lemon juice
• Pepper

Steps to Prepare

• Prepare Chicken – You can either cook the chicken and use that or simply use leftover or rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
• Combine Filling – In a greased 9×13 inch casserole dish spread out chicken. In a mixing bowl stir together condensed soup and sour cream. Add Worcestershire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice and pepper and stir. Spread over the chicken in casserole dish.
• Buttery Cracker Topping – In a small bowl combine crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Spread over chicken and sauce.
• Bake – Place the casserole dish in the oven at 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling. You can serve plain or over rice.

How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Casserole

I like to use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, but if you don’t have that I simply place 4 boneless chicken breasts in boiling water and let it boil 20 minutes and then cube. You can also bake at 20 minutes on a sheet pan at 400 degrees F or until the juices run clear.

Can I freeze this casserole?

Yes, you can!

Simply cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to use it, remove from freezer and place in fridge to thaw the day before using. Bake according to directions. It may take 10-15 minutes extra time because it is starting from cold.

How to Reheat

The easiest way to reheat a smaller portion is to put it on a microwave safe plate and reheat it in the microwave. We recommend starting with one minute and stirring after that. If it’s not heated through microwave in 30 second increments until heated through.

If you have a large amount to reheat preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the leftovers in an oven safe pan and warm in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until heated through. We recommend covering it with foil when you reheat it in the oven to keep the moisture in.

What can I serve with Poppy Seed Chicken?

This casserole is great served over rice and paired with roasted vegetables or green beans. Another delicious pairing is Mashed Potatoes.

If you are looking for a really easy side dish grab a bagged salad at the grocery store!

More great casserole recipes to enjoy!

• A classic with the addition of Alfredo sauce make this Baked Spaghetti Casserole a hit every time!
• A creamy mixture of pasta, sauce, chicken and cheese make this Mexican Chicken Casserole so delicious!
• With only 10 minutes of prep time Chicken Wild Rice Casserole is the winner on busy weeknights!!
• A favorite comfort food! Easy Chicken Pot Pie Casserole starts with a creamy vegetable mixture that’s topped with Crescent Rolls!

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4.8 from 10 votes

Poppy Seed Chicken

This creamy chicken casserole topped with buttery crackers is a family favorite and easy dinner recipe.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 50 mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 5 c. chicken breasts cooked and cubed
• ▢ 1 c. sour cream
• ▢ 2 10.5 oz cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• ▢ 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers about 1 1/2 rolls of crackers
• ▢ 1/2 c. melted butter
• ▢ 1 Tbsp poppy seeds
• ▢ 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1/4 tsp celery salt
• ▢ 1 tsp minced garlic
• ▢ 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Boil raw chicken breasts for 20 minutes. Let chicken cool slightly and cut into one inch cubes. You can also use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken. Place cubed chicken in a greased 9×13 casserole dish.
• In a bowl stir together the condensed soup and sour cream. Add the Worcestershire, celery salt, garlic, lemon juice, and pepper to the soup and sour cream mixture. Pour over the chicken.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the crushed crackers, poppy seeds and melted butter. Sprinkle over the chicken and sauce.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top of the casserole is browned and the sauce is bubbly. Serve plain or over rice.

Tips

How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Casserole

I like to use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken, but if you don't have that I simply place 4 boneless chicken breasts in boiling water and let it boil 20 minutes and then cube. You can also bake at 20 minutes on a sheet pan at 400 degrees F or until the juices run clear.

Can I freeze this casserole?

Simply cover tightly with foil and place in the freezer for up to three months. When you are ready to use it, remove from freezer and place in fridge to thaw the day before using. Bake according to directions. It may take 10-15 minutes extra time because it is starting from cold.

How to Reheat

The easiest way to reheat a smaller portion is to put it on a microwave safe plate and reheat it in the microwave. We recommend starting with one minute and stirring after that. If it's not heated through microwave in 30 second increments until heated through.

If you have a large amount to reheat preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the leftovers in an oven safe pan and warm in preheated oven for 20 minutes or until heated through. We recommend covering it with foil when you reheat it in the oven to keep the moisture in.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1, Calories: 826kcal (41%), Carbohydrates: 22g (7%), Protein: 66g (132%), Fat: 51g (78%), Saturated Fat: 25g (156%), Cholesterol: 283mg (94%), Sodium: 1030mg (45%), Potassium: 1241mg (35%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 1195IU (24%), Vitamin C: 5.8mg (7%), Calcium: 165mg (17%), Iron: 2.8mg (16%)

© Julie’s Eats & Treats™

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.