Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Square overhead shot of poppy seed chicken in a white baking dish.

This creamy Southern poppy seed chicken casserole is a quick and comforting dish topped with buttery Ritz crackers for the perfect weeknight dinner.

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken poppy seed casserole, poppy seed chicken, poppy seed chicken casserole, poppy seed chicken recipe, simple casseroles for dinner

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 563kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

9 x 13-Inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, not diluted
¼ cup chicken broth or milk
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional but brightens flavor)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
5 cups cooked, shredded chicken
½ cup slivered almonds
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 sleeves Ritz crackers (about 60 crackers), crushed
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted
Optional garnish: fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, condensed soup, broth (or milk), poppy seeds, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Stir in the chicken and slivered almonds. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Transfer the chicken mixture to a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with shredded cheese, if desired.
In a small bowl, combine the Ritz crackers and the melted butter. Add the buttered cracker crumbs to the top of the casserole.
Bake uncovered until the filling is hot and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Video

Notes

Use store-bought rotisserie chicken for a shortcut. If you'd like to cook your own chicken to use in this casserole, boil about 2 ½ lbs. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes (larger breasts may take up to 18-20 minutes). When cool enough to handle, chop the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces or pull with two forks.

Nutrition