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This Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole is creamy, comforting, and made with simple pantry ingredients. Tender shredded chicken gets stirred into a savory sauce and topped with buttery Ritz crackers that bake up golden and crisp. It’s an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
More creamy chicken casseroles: Poppy Seed Chicken | Creamy Chicken Casserole | Doritos Chicken Casserole
3 Things That Make or Break This Recipe
- Coat the crackers fully with butter. Every crushed piece should look glossy and evenly buttered before it hits the top. Dry spots bake up pale instead of golden.
- Use cream of chicken with herbs if you can find it. It adds depth that regular cream of chicken doesn’t have. The regular version still works, but the herb variety is the upgrade.
- Don’t be alarmed by a saucy filling. The mixture will look very saucy before it goes in the oven. That’s exactly right. It thickens as it bakes and the cracker topping soaks up just enough.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
How To Make Ritz Chicken Casserole
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This casserole comes together in just a few easy steps. Most of the work is mixing, then the oven does the rest.
Step 1: Prep the oven and dish.
Preheat your oven to 350°F, then lightly grease a 2- to 3-quart baking dish.
- A 9×9 or 2-quart dish gives you taller portions; a 9×13 spreads the casserole thinner and gives more cracker topping per serving. Either works.
Step 2: Make the buttery Ritz topping.
Crush 1 sleeve of Ritz crackers until you have about 1½ cups of crumbs.
Toss the crushed crackers with melted salted butter, a pinch of salt and pepper until the crumbs are evenly coated.
- Evenly coated means every cracker piece should look glossy and slightly darker than dry crumbs. If you see pale, dry pieces, drizzle in another teaspoon or two of melted butter.
Step 3: Mix the creamy chicken filling.
In a large bowl, mix the shredded chicken with sour cream, cream of chicken soup, herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. The mixture should look very saucy. That’s what you want. The sauce will thicken a bit as it bakes, keeping the chicken moist.
- Need shredded chicken? My How to Shred Chicken post walks through four easy methods, or you can use the meat from a rotisserie chicken to make this even faster.
Step 4: Assemble and bake.
Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the buttered Ritz cracker crumbs evenly over the top.
Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes, until it’s hot and bubbly at the edges and the cracker topping is golden brown. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
- You’ll know it’s done when you see active bubbling around the edges and a deep golden color on the cracker topping. If the center isn’t bubbling yet, give it another 5 minutes.
Serving Ideas
This casserole is hearty enough to serve on its own, but the saucy filling is also delicious spooned over a starchy base. Plate up some rice, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles and ladle the casserole on top for a heartier meal.
Serve it over:
What to serve it alongside:
Want more low-effort dinners like this one? My collection of easy hands-off dinners has 20+ ideas. See the Collection →
Storage Tips
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Storage: Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Place portions in an oven-safe dish, uncovered, and warm at 350°F until heated through. The microwave works too if you’re in a hurry, but the cracker topping will soften.
- A quick note on the topping: Ritz crackers lose some of their crisp once the casserole has been refrigerated. The oven brings back some of the crunch, but it won’t be quite as crisp as fresh from the oven.
- Freezing: This casserole is best fresh. If you want to freeze it, prepare the filling and freeze it without the topping, then add fresh buttered crackers when you’re ready to bake.
- Make ahead: The filling can be mixed a day ahead and refrigerated. Add the cracker topping just before baking for the best texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes, and it’s a great shortcut. One large Costco rotisserie chicken usually yields about 4 cups of meat, while smaller grocery-store chickens often yield just over 2 cups each. Pulling the meat while it’s still warm is typically easiest.
Can I add vegetables?
Yes. Stir in 1 to 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables, peas, corn, green beans, or small broccoli florets, then spread the filling into the baking dish. No need to thaw or pre-cook. This stretches the casserole slightly so it may need an extra 5 minutes of bake time.
What if I can’t find cream of chicken with herbs?
Regular cream of chicken soup works just fine. The herb version adds a little extra flavor depth, but the recipe is forgiving. If using regular, you can add a pinch of dried parsley, thyme, or poultry seasoning to the filling for a similar effect.
More Easy Chicken Casseroles
- Chicken Potato Casserole
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Broccoli Casserole (Chicken Divan)
- French Onion Chicken Casserole
- Cheesy BBQ Bacon Chicken Casserole
Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed (about 1½ cups)
- 5 tablespoons salted butter melted
- 4 heaping cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of chicken soup with herbs
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
- Sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 2 to 3 quart baking dish.
- In a small bowl, toss the crushed Ritz crackers with the melted butter and a pinch of the salt and pepper until every piece is evenly coated and glossy.
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, onion powder, and remaining salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed. The mixture will be very saucy, which is exactly right.
- Spread the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top with the buttered Ritz cracker mixture.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until hot and bubbly with a deep golden brown topping.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut. A large rotisserie chicken from Costco yields about 4 cups of meat. Smaller grocery store rotisseries yield just over 2 cups each, so you may need two.
- Cream of chicken with herbs is the upgrade. Regular cream of chicken soup works just fine if you can’t find the herb version. You can add a pinch of dried parsley, thyme, or poultry seasoning to the filling for a similar flavor.
- Don’t reconstitute the soup. Add the can of soup directly to the bowl. No water needed.
- Add vegetables for a one-dish meal. Stir in 1 to 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables or small broccoli florets with the filling. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time.
- Serve it over rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta. The saucy filling works beautifully spooned over a starchy base.
- Coat the crackers fully. Every crushed piece should look glossy with butter. Dry spots bake up pale instead of golden.
- The topping softens after refrigeration. Reheat leftovers uncovered in the oven for the crispest result.
- Storage. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in the oven at 350°F until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
