Your family will love this Sour Cream Chicken! Tender and juicy chicken breasts, smothered in a seasoned sour cream sauce, are topped with buttery Ritz cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Baked until golden brown, this is an easy dinner that brings everyone together at the table!
Most busy home cooks will likely appreciate some new, quick and easy chicken recipes for dinner. This Sour Cream Chicken is a perfect prep-ahead dish that appeals to even the pickiest little eaters. The sour cream marinade adds flavor and helps tenderize the meat, while the buttery cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese give the chicken a crisp, rich finish. It's an ideal weeknight meal!
What should I make for dinner tonight?
Sour cream chicken is the answer! With only 10 minutes of hands-on prep, the oven does almost all of the work here. The chicken is best when you allow time for the meat to marinate in the sour cream sauce, but you can certainly skip that step if you're running short on time.
The chicken breasts are smothered in a seasoned sour cream marinade, topped with buttered Ritz cracker crumbs, and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. Bake the breaded meat until it's tender and juicy on the inside and crisp and golden brown on the outside. This is an easy dinner that you need to make tonight!
How to make Sour Cream Chicken:
This chicken with sour cream sauce and buttery, cheesy crumb topping is an easy dinner that the whole family can agree on!
Ingredients:
- Sour cream
- Mayonnaise
- Lemon juice
- Worcestershire sauce
- Salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Ritz crackers
- Butter
- Parmesan cheese
Does sour cream tenderize chicken?
Yes! The sour cream sauce serves a few different purposes in this recipe. First, the slightly acidic nature of the sour cream helps to tenderize the meat. The fat adds rich flavor to the chicken, and the thick texture of the marinade helps the cracker crumbs and cheese adhere to the meat.
Step 1: Prepare Sour Cream Chicken Marinade
In a small bowl, make the sour cream marinade by whisking together the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper.
Step 2: Marinate Chicken
Add the chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for about 1 hour (or overnight).
Step 3: Add Toppings
Remove the chicken from the marinade, place in a baking dish, and top with buttered Ritz cracker crumbs and grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 4: Bake
Bake the chicken (uncovered) in a 375 degree F oven for 35-45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Garnish with fresh herbs, if you like, and serve!
What to serve with Sour Cream Chicken:
One reason boneless, skinless chicken breast recipe ideas are so popular is because they’re versatile! Pair this protein with your family’s favorite sides and you have a kid-friendly meal ready in no time. Here are a few easy options to round out the meal:
- Pasta tossed in olive oil, butter, marinara or pesto sauce
- Rice
- Skin-On Mashed Red Potatoes or Make-Ahead Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Buttermilk Biscuits
- Skillet Cornbread
- Hoe Cakes
- Creamed Peas
- Fried Apples
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon
- A simple green salad dressed with Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette or a Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Creamed Spinach or Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
- Crock Pot Mac and Cheese
- Oven Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Broccoli, or Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
Preparation and Storage Tips:
- Make Ahead: You can marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature on the counter for about 30 minutes before topping and baking.
- Short on Time? You can dip the chicken in the sour cream sauce and skip the marinating altogether. The chicken will not have time to absorb as much flavor or to become as tender, but the recipe will still work!
- Wrapped tightly, the baked chicken breast will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also store the chicken in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in the freezer for up to 3 months. It's important to note, however, that the crumb topping on the chicken will get soggy as it sits. This meal is best when enjoyed straight from the oven.
Cook's Tips and Recipe Variations:
- Since the size and thickness of chicken breasts can vary greatly, I suggest using a meat thermometer to know when your chicken is done. The meat needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Sour Cream Chicken Thighs: Use the same ingredients and baking process with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The thighs will likely need less time in the oven, so reduce the baking time to a total of about 25-30 minutes.
- Don't have Ritz crackers? Substitute with other buttery crackers (like Keebler Club crackers). In a pinch, crushed saltines or even crushed Corn Flakes cereal will work. I don't recommend using plain breadcrumbs, because they don't have the flavor or texture that you get from these other options.
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese or the powdered Parmesan cheese in a can will both work well in this recipe.
More quick and easy chicken recipes for dinner:
Sour Cream Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs. total)
- ¾ cup crushed Ritz crackers (about 15 whole crackers or half of a sleeve)
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, basil or thyme
Instructions
- Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, paprika, garlic powder and pepper. Add the chicken to the sour cream mixture and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish with cooking spray (about 9 x 13-inches or any other size dish that comfortably holds your chicken).
- Remove the chicken from the sour cream mixture and place in the prepared baking dish. Discard marinade.
- In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press buttered cracker crumbs on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.
Notes
- Since the size and thickness of chicken breasts can vary greatly, I suggest using a meat thermometer to know when your chicken is done. The meat needs to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- The nutritional information is merely an estimate and includes all of the sour cream sauce. If you discard excess marinade, the nutrition stats will vary greatly.
- Sour Cream Chicken Thighs: Use the same ingredients and baking process with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The thighs will likely need less time in the oven, so reduce the baking time to a total of about 25-30 minutes.
- Don't have Ritz crackers? Substitute with other buttery crackers (like Keebler Club crackers). In a pinch, crushed saltines or even crushed Corn Flakes cereal. I don't recommend using plain breadcrumbs, because they don't have the flavor or texture that you get from these other options.
- Freshly-grated Parmesan cheese or the powdered Parmesan cheese in a can will both work well in this recipe.
Linda Woods
I used soda crackers rather than Ritz crackers.
Blair
Awesome! I bet that was great too, Linda!
Cat
I made this without the breadcrumbs, and omg, easily the best chicken I've ever eaten. My 5 year old couldn't get enough too. It's hard to stick to your portion as just so delicious, we ended up eating 2 meals worth. Thanks for an amazing recipe! Really transforms chicken into something special.
Blair
Oh, I'm so happy to hear that, Cat. Thank you for taking the time to come back here and let me know. 🙂
Debbie
This was really tasty! I will definitely be making this again...hubby loved it!
Blair
Awesome! Thanks, Debbie!
Becky Crawley
Could I use leftover,already cooked turkey? Would it be too dry?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Becky! The sour cream should help the meat stay pretty moist. I bet it would work, but I would reduce the cooking time significantly since you're just warming it through. Maybe get it warm for a few minutes in the oven, and then put it under the broiler for a few more minutes to let the coating crisp up without drying out the turkey. Hope that helps!
Meghan
I was trying to use leftover ingredients so I used whole wheat Ritz and olive oil, added red pepper flakes to the bread crumbs and used gruyere instead of parm. I don’t eat meat but my husband loved it!
Blair Lonergan
Sounds perfect, Meghan! Thank you!