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This poppy seed chicken casserole recipe is one of those simple comfort food dinners that doesn’t take much work to get into the oven.
It’s filled with shredded chicken in a creamy, cheesy sauce and finished with a buttery Ritz cracker topping studded with poppy seeds.
Using already-cooked chicken makes the prep especially quick, which is always helpful on a busy night. Use my Easy Roasted Chicken or Instant Pot Roast Chicken recipe to cook a simple whole chicken, or use a rotisserie chicken.
You can serve the casserole dish as it is or spoon it over rice or egg noodles to stretch it a little further.
For more easy chicken dinners, be sure to try Greek Chicken Bowls With Tzatziki, Southwest Chicken Bowl, and Marry Me Chicken Sliders.
Why You’ll Love Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
- Easy to put together: Starting with cooked chicken keeps prep time to about 15 minutes.
- Classic comfort food: Creamy chicken and cheese pair perfectly with the buttery cracker topping.
- Great for family dinners: Serve it with a vegetable, salad, rice, or egg noodles for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Find the full list of ingredients, amounts, and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cooked shredded chicken – Rotisserie chicken is an easy option, or use any cooked chicken you already have on hand.
- Cream of chicken soup and sour cream – These make up the creamy base of the casserole. You can get organic cream of chicken soup to make it a bit healthier.
- Cheddar cheese – Adds plenty of cheesy flavor. A cheddar blend works well, too.
- Ritz crackers – Crushed crackers make a simple buttery, crunchy topping.
- Poppy seeds – Sprinkled into the cracker mixture for the classic finishing touch.
How to Make Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
Here are the step-by-step instructions for making this creamy chicken casserole:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Add the shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Stir until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Spread the chicken mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Step 4: In a separate small bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers, melted butter, and poppy seeds.
Step 5: Mix until the cracker crumbs are evenly coated with butter.
Step 6: Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the chicken.
Step 7: Bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and bubbling around the edges and the cracker topping is golden brown.
Step 8: Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
What to Serve With Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
This poppy seed chicken recipe is filling enough to serve on its own, but it’s also good spooned over egg noodles or rice. You could also serve it with mashed potatoes.
If you want to add a vegetable, steamed or roasted broccoli or roasted carrots are easy choices.
A simple green salad, green beans, or asparagus would also go well with it.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Use leftover chicken: This is a good way to use up cooked chicken from another meal.
- Try rotisserie chicken: It makes this recipe especially quick to prepare.
- Change the cheese: Regular cheddar, sharp cheddar, or a cheddar blend will all work.
- Don’t crush the crackers too finely: Leaving some texture gives the topping a better crunch.
- Watch the topping near the end: If it’s browning faster than you’d like, loosely cover the casserole with foil.
How to Store
- Store leftover poppy seed chicken casserole covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, or cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for this casserole. Simply remove the skin and shred enough meat to measure 5 cups.
Yes. You can prepare the chicken mixture and spread it in the baking dish ahead of time. Refrigerate it covered, then add the cracker topping shortly before baking so it stays crisp.
Cheddar cheese works well, including sharp, mild, or a blend. Pepper Jack could also be used if you’d like a little more flavor.
Yes. Rice and egg noodles are both good choices and help turn the casserole into an even heartier meal.
Yes. You can leave them out without making any other changes to the recipe.
More Easy Dinner Ideas
If you make this poppy seed chicken casserole recipe and enjoy it, please leave a comment with a 5-star recipe rating and let me know! Thank you!
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 10.5 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, I used a triple cheddar blend
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, shredded cheese, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl and stir until fully combined.
- Spread the chicken mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Set aside.
- Add the Ritz crackers, butter, and poppy seeds to a separate small mixing bowl and mix with your hands until the crackers are fully moistened with butter.
- Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the top of the chicken mixture.
- Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the edges are hot and bubbling and the crackers are golden brown.
- Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Notes
- Use leftover chicken: This is a good way to use up cooked chicken from another meal.
- Try rotisserie chicken: It makes this recipe especially quick to prepare.
- Change the cheese: Regular cheddar, sharp cheddar, or a cheddar blend will all work.
- Don’t crush the crackers too finely: Leaving some texture gives the topping a better crunch.
- Watch the topping near the end: If it’s browning faster than you’d like, loosely cover the casserole with foil.
- Store leftover poppy seed chicken casserole covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat individual portions in the microwave until hot, or cover the baking dish with foil and warm it in the oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
