When was the last time you had Poppy Seed Chicken? It’s probably been a while, but that needs changing! This simple casserole had its heyday a few decades ago, starting in the 50s when shortcut foods like condensed soup and cracker toppings were at their most popular. There are a lot of casseroles out there with those two components, but the poppy seeds in this one make it a crave-worthy casserole all its own. Popular in the south at potlucks, church events, and more, it’s perfect over white rice or pasta and is so simple to make.
What Ingredients Do You Need for Poppy Seed Chicken?
Only a few. You’ll need:
Some pre-cooked chicken.
A can of cream of chicken soup.
Some sour cream.
Poppy seeds.
Ritz crackers.
Chicken broth.
Butter.
That’s it!
How do You Make Poppy Seed Chicken?
This easy casserole is little more than stirring everything together and then baking it, but here’s the step by step:
Take your cooked chicken and chop or shred it. (A rotisserie chicken works great for this.) Add that to a bowl and stir in the cream of chicken soup, the sour cream, and the poppy seeds. Transfer that to a baking dish — 7×11 works well for this amount; 9×13 is just a little big.
Next, make the two-ingredient topping: Crush up some Ritz crackers and mix them with melted butter and sprinkle them over the top. Bake until that top is golden brown and the mixture below is nice and bubbly!
How do you Serve Poppy Seed Chicken?
Most people serve this over white rice, but some people even put the white rice as the bottom layer in the baking dish so it’s a one-and-done casserole. While that’s the most traditional serving option, it’s also great over egg noodles or angel hair, or any kind of pasta! Mashed potatoes are delicious here too.
Ingredients
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 sleeve butter crackers, such as Ritz, crushed
1/2 cup butter, melted
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 7×11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
Stir together the chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppy seeds and transfer to baking dish.
In a clean bowl, stir together the melted butter and crushed crackers, then sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake until golden brown and hot and bubbly, about 35 minutes. Serve over rice, pasta, or potatoes if desired. Enjoy!
