Julie Clark
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Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers
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Creamy chicken casserole with Ritz crackers made with shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, and a buttery cracker topping. This easy Ritz chicken casserole is a family favorite dinner ready in about 35 minutes.
If you grew up eating chicken casseroles, this Ritz cracker chicken casserole recipe probably feels familiar in the best way. It has a creamy sauce and is topped with a buttery layer of crushed Ritz crackers that bakes up golden and crisp. It comes together fast and feeds a crowd. Perfect for busy weeknights!
The 30-Minute Chicken Casserole That Tastes Like a Church Cookbook Classic
This is one of those casseroles I keep in my back pocket for busy weeks. If I’ve got leftover roasted chicken, shredded chicken (or a rotisserie chicken from the store), dinner is basically halfway done.
This chicken casserole with ritz crackers is one of those recipes that are all over the old church cookbooks from my grandma, right next to million dollar pie and church window cookies. It’s an easy casserole recipe that is in almost in every one!
The crunchy Ritz cracker topping is what gets everyone to the table fast, and I love that I can toss in whatever frozen veggies I have on hand.
Serve this casserole with side dishes like green beans, steamed broccoli, rice or cream cheese mashed potatoes.
Love old fashioned recipes? Try our pineapple pie and broccoli and cheese casserole.
Enjoy! -Julie
Ingredients
I love mixed veggies with corn, carrots, green beans and peas.
Don’t want to use canned soup? Make homemade cream of chicken soup.
There are about 30 crackers in a sleeve of Ritz crackers, so you’ll need about 60 crackers. Use leftover crackers in our pineapple casserole.
Preparing Chicken for a Casserole
The easiest way to prep the chicken is to buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. But you can also poach 2 large chicken breasts then shred. For a quick poach use about 3-4 cups of water or chicken stock and bring to a boil.
Add the chicken and lower the temperature to a simmer. Cook for about 12-15 minutes, checking that the internal temperature reaches about 160°F. Remove from heat and allow it to sit until it reaches 165°F. Remove from liquid and allow it to rest for 5 minutes, then shred.
Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers
Creamy chicken casserole with Ritz crackers made with shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, and a buttery cracker topping. This easy Ritz chicken casserole is a family-favorite dinner ready in about 35 minutes.
Servings 6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken rotisserie or poached
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion or shallot
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 10 ounces frozen vegetable medley
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounces each
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers
- 4 tablespoons melted salted butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place the chicken into a large bowl and set aside. 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it softens. Stir in the garlic and remove from heat. 1 tablespoon salted butter, 1 cup chopped yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the onion mixture to the chicken and gently mix together. Add the frozen vegetables, cream of chicken soup cans, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Gently but thoroughly mix together making sure all the chicken is coated well. 10 ounces frozen vegetable medley, 2 cans cream of chicken soup, ½ cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish and spread out evenly.
- Using a rolling pin, crush the Ritz crackers, leaving some medium sized pieces. Put the crushed crackers into a mixing bowl and add the melted butter and parsley. Mix well. 2 sleeves Ritz crackers, 4 tablespoons melted salted butter
- Coat the entire top of the casserole with the Ritz cracker topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crackers are golden and the casserole is bubbling. Allow the casserole to sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you feel like the mixture is too thick, you can add a little more chicken broth before baking. It will add some extra moisture.
You can add some shredded cheddar cheese or mozzarella to make it even creamier and cheesier.
Leftovers store well in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days. You can microwave or place back into the oven until heated through. Top with extra fresh crushed Ritz crackers.
Refer to the article above for more recipe tips and tricks.
The calories shown are based on the recipe serving 6, with 1 serving being ⅙ of the recipe. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1153mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2963IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg
How to Make Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers: Step by Step
Add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until it softens. Stir in the garlic and remove from heat.
Add the onion mixture to the chicken and gently mix together. Add the frozen vegetables, cream of chicken soup cans, chicken broth, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Mix together. Pour the mixture into the greased casserole dish and spread out evenly.
Using a rolling pin, crush the Ritz crackers, leaving some medium sized pieces. Put the crushed crackers into a mixing bowl and add the melted butter and parsley. Mix well.
Coat the entire top of the casserole with the Ritz cracker topping. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crackers are golden and the casserole is bubbling. Allow the casserole to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley or thyme or sliced green onion if desired.
