This poppy seed chicken recipe is a casserole-style dish and it is one of my favorite comfort foods. It needs minimal effort and only a few affordable ingredients.
When I’m in the mood for a comforting, creamy, crunchy dish, this poppy seed chicken recipe always comes to mind. You could describe it as a sort of take on a chicken pot pie, but I would argue that it may even be better. The ingredients are affordable and easy to find, it takes very little effort to make, and the flavors of the creamy chicken and crunchy cracker crust are phenomenal.
So on the days that the weather turns or you find yourself needing a cozy pick-me-up, you’ll want to give this dish a try. My kids go bananas for it and it’s a simple lunch or dinner you can whip together in no time. For a truly comforting afternoon or evening, be sure to have dessert ready to go (I would highly recommend my monkey bread).
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This recipe is so easy to make and a really comforting dish.
- This casserole dish has a creamy chicken mixture and is topped with a buttery crust made of crushed crackers, which create a scrumptious texture.
- You will only need a few ingredients that don’t break the bank.
- If you love to make easy-to-create recipes for the whole family, you will love this poppy seed chicken!
Ingredients
Most of these ingredients you’ll probably already have on hand. This recipe is intended to be an easy throw-together meal, so feel free to substitute any ingredients with the closest alternative you have on hand.
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ tbsp poppy seeds
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 cup crackers
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
How to Make Poppy Seed Chicken – The Steps
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a casserole dish.
Step 2: In a pan of hot water, boil the chicken on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Let it cool, then cut it into cubes.
Step 3: In a bowl, combine the sour cream, soup, and parmesan cheese. Add the poppyseeds, dried parsley, and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper. Combine the chicken cubes with this mixture and transfer them into the casserole dish.
Step 4: Crush the crackers into small pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the crackers, and toast until light brown.
Step 5: Top the chicken mixture with the toasted crackers and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Step 7: Remove from the oven, let cool down for 5 minutes, then serve!
Variations
The basis of this recipe is super simple, so you can add whatever you like to it to change up the flavors. Here’s a few ideas on how you can make this poppy seed chicken your own.
- Replace the cream of chicken soup with other creamy soups, like cream of mushroom or cream of broccoli, or cream of bacon. You could also incorporate mustard, ranch seasoning, or hot sauce to change the flavors.
- Use a different crunchy ingredient for the topping (it doesn’t have to be Ritz). You could try breadcrumbs, potato chips, or corn flakes,
- You can use other meats in place of chicken, like turkey, steak, or pork, or you can omit the meat altogether and use your favorite meat free alternative for a vegetarian dish.
- Chuck in your favorite vegetables, like roasted carrots, peas, celery, and corn for a hearty and nutritious dish.
Serving Suggestions
Frankly, I could eat this whole thing by myself. It’s that good. But if you’re trying to stretch it out, I’d recommend serving it with some sides like a salad, roasted red potatoes, or some veggies, like green beans. This poppy seed chicken makes for a great lunch or dinner for two, but if you’re feeding the whole family, I would recommend doubling up your portions.
FAQs
You can replace the cream of chicken soup with other thick and creamy soups, like the cream of mushroom. Keep in mind, the flavors will change depending on the kind of soup you will use. Cream of chicken soup is the original flavor for this recipe, but feel free to be creative!
Sure! You can add or substitute the Parmesan cheese with grated cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese. It’s really there for flavor and consistency, but there are many kinds of cheeses that are suitable for this dish! If you prefer, you can leave it out as well.
Yes, instead of boiling the chicken you can also bake or roast the chicken in the oven at a high temperature. Feel free to use leftover or rotisserie chicken, too.
How to Store Poppy Seed Chicken
Odds are, you won’t have any leftovers to deal with. But in the off chance you do, let your poppy seed chicken cool and wrap the casserole dish in cling film. You can keep it in the refrigerator for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
If you’re reheating your dish from frozen, let it defrost in the freezer overnight. Then, place it in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes at 350°F until heated through. You could also microwave your portions, but the cracker crust will almost definitely become mushy, so I’d say it’s worth the extra time to let it crisp back up in the oven.
Poppy Seed Chicken
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ tbsp poppy seeds
- 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 chicken breast
- 1 cup crackers
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350° F and prepare a casserole dish.
- In a pan of hot water, boil the chicken on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Let it cool, then cut it into cubes.
- In a bowl combine the sour cream, soup, and Parmesan cheese. Add the poppy seeds, dried parsley, and garlic powder, and season with salt and pepper. Combine the chicken cubes with this mixture and transfer them into the casserole dish.
- Crush the crackers into small pieces. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the crackers, and toast until light brown.
- Top the chicken mixture with the toasted crackers and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, let cool down for 5 minutes then serve!
Nutrition
