Once you taste this comforting chicken casserole you will understand why it's so popular. The buttery Ritz cracker top and bottom crusts offer surprising flavor and texture, and the rich and creamy sauce is unbelievably easy to make, featuring canned cream of chicken soup and sour cream. You may omit the bottom layer of crackers if you'd like to lighten the recipe a bit.
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The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
Perfect for weeknight dinners, the chicken casserole takes no more than 15 minutes to put together and bakes to perfection in about 30 to 40 minutes. Make sure to cook the chicken before adding to the sauce. Serve with roasted or steamed broccoli or a simple salad on the side.
Can I Use Canned Chicken in This Casserole?
For quicker preparation, you can use canned chicken instead of cooking raw chicken breasts, substituting about 24 ounces of drained canned chicken breast chunks. Fully cooked roasted or grilled chicken breast strips or rotisserie chicken meat are also great options when time is a factor.
"This creamy casserole has lots of chickeny flavor from the broth and cream of chicken soup. The contrast between the crunchy Ritz crackers and the creamy chicken filling is great. I served this with a tart green salad" —Craig Ruff
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Ingredients
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1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, or cream of mushroom soup
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1 (8-ounce) container sour cream, about 1 cup
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1/2 cup low-sodium or unsalted chicken broth
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5 cups diced cooked boneless chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 pounds
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1/2 teaspoon fine salt
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1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, optional
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60 Ritz crackers (about 2 sleeves, 7 ounces), divided
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8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and divided
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 325 F. Lightly grease a 2-quart casserole dish.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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In a large bowl, combine 1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream (about 1 cup), 1/2 cup low-sodium or unsalted chicken broth, 5 cups diced cooked boneless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions, if using.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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Crumble 30 Ritz crackers (about 1 sleeve, 3.5 ounces) into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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Drizzle 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted) over the crackers.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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Spoon the chicken mixture evenly over the Ritz cracker layer.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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Crush the remaining 1 sleeve of crackers and toss them in a bowl with the remaining half of the melted butter.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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Sprinkle the buttered cracker crumbs over the chicken mixture.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
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Bake the casserole until hot and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
The Spruce Eats / Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen
How To Store Ritz Chicken Casserole
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or a 350 F oven until heated to an internal temperature of 165 F.
Feeling Adventurous? Try This:
- Make it colorful and nutritious - Feel free to add ingredients such as pimientos or 1 to 1 1/2 cups of lightly steamed frozen peas, green beans, or mixed vegetables to the chicken and sauce mixture. Steamed asparagus, broccoli, or a few tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley are good options as well for color.
- Mushroom flavor - Sauté 6 to 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of butter until tender and browned; fold the mushrooms into the chicken mixture.
- Try another protein - Substitute diced cooked turkey or ham for the chicken. Add cooked bacon to the chicken mixture.
- Flavored Ritz crackers - Use one of the flavor varieties of Ritz crackers, including whole wheat, bacon, garlic butter, and low sodium.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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569 | Calories |
34g | Fat |
26g | Carbs |
39g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 569 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 34g | 43% |
Saturated Fat 15g | 74% |
Cholesterol 147mg | 49% |
Sodium 619mg | 27% |
Total Carbohydrate 26g | 10% |
Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
Total Sugars 4g | |
Protein 39g | |
Vitamin C 0mg | 1% |
Calcium 89mg | 7% |
Iron 3mg | 16% |
Potassium 385mg | 8% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
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