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An incredibly easy weeknight dinner you can make using leftover or rotisserie chicken. This is what defines this easy to make Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole. Since my marriage, this is one of my favorite go-to potluck dinner recipes, and I’ sure you’ll love it at first bite/sight. And, if you are a fan of chicken casseroles, you’ll definitely want to try Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Doritos Chicken Casserole, or French Onion Chicken Casserole. So, give it a try and see why it’s my go-to dinner recipe for any occasion!
Ingredients You’ll Need
For Casserole
- Chicken, cooked and shredded.
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- Cottage cheese
- Condensed cream of chicken soup
- Onion powder and Garlic powder
Topping:
- Ritz crackers
- Unsalted butter, melted
Optional variations you can try:
- Add-ins: You can customize the recipe by adding some veggies like frozen peas, carrots, or chopped spinach.
- Cheese: To make it extra cheesy, you can add topping of shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese before baking.
Things You Will Need
- 9×13 inch pan (See my favorite pick)
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Large mixing bowl
- Small microwave-safe bowl
How to Make Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole?
The real fun begins here. Follow these step by step instructions to make the best homemade Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole. I have attached the recipe photos to help you visualize how the recipe will appear in each step.
Prepare Ingredients
Before we begin, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
If you already have leftover cooked chicken in your refrigerator, then it’s fine to use that. Shred the cooked chicken into small pieces (bite sized). Grease the 9×9 baking pan with cooking spray.
Mix the Ingredients
Take a large mixing bowl and combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and condensed cream of chicken soup and seasoning. If you already have homemade cream of chicken soup that will be much better than the store bough soup. You can adjust seasoning as per taste and flavor of soup. Mix the ingredients well ultil smooth.
Note: If you want to make it dairy-free, use vegan cream cheese, tofu and vegan sour cream. Besides, you can substitute the cream chicken soup with the vegan cream soup.
Combine shredded chicken and creamy mixture in the mixing bowl and stir until chicken get coated with the sauce. Pour this mixture in the greased 9×9 baking dish.
Prepare the Topping
In a medium bowl, crush 1½ sleeves (42) of Ritz crackers into small pieces. Once the crackers are crushed properly, add the melter butter in the bowl and toss to coat the cracker thoroughly. Evenly sprinkle the crackers over the baking dish.
Note: If you are looking for the gluten-free option, you can substitute the crackers with srushed cornflakes, or panko breadcrumbs.
Baking the Casserole
Once you’ve set the topping, bake the uncovered casserole in the preheared oven for 40-45 minutes. After the casserole is baked, garnish with parsley to make it look appealing. Serve hot.
5 Topping Options for Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
- Cheese: Apart from the cottage cheese, you can also add shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or Parmesan for extra richness.
- Herbs: Garnish parsley, thyme, or chives at the cheese topping for freshness.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are a great alternative topping option of Ritz crackers and mixed with melted butter to make them crunchy.
- French Fried Onions: If you want some crunchiness and onion flavor in your casserole, French onions are the best option to consider.
- Nuts: A non-traditional way of serving chicken casseroles is a topping of some finely chopped almonds or pecans.
How to freeze it?
The Ritz crackers chicken casserole freezes well. To do so, store the casserole mixture before adding crackers, in an airtight container. You can also wrap the casserole with a plastic wrap, covered in an aluminum foil. Now refrigerate it for 24 hours, and then freeze it. The properly frozen Ritz crackers chicken casserole can stay in the freezer for up to 4 months.
To reheat Ritz crackers chicken casserole, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator. Once the casserole is ready to bake, add the Ritz crackers and the toppings of your choice, bake in the preheated oven to 350°F (175°C) for 50-60 minutes until heated through and the topping turns golden brown.
How to Store?
The Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. When you want to consume it, bake it in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed, or you can also microwave individual portions of this csserole.
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes, you can make chicken casserole filling ahead of time. Pour the mixture into the 9×9 baking dish and cover with an airtight lid or plastic wrap to prevent contamination. Besides, crush the crackers ahead of time, and store in a separate ziptop bag. When you are ready to bake, mix the crushed crackers with melted butter and add to the casserole.
What Can I Make With Leftover Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole?
If you have leftover Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole, consider making:
- Chicken Casserole Wraps: Add a spoon of casserole into tortillas, and some fresh veggies, and you can have a quick lunch.
- Stuffed Peppers: Mix the leftover Ritz Cracker Casserole with rice, and stuff them into bell peppers. Bake the stuffed bell peppers at 350°F (175°C) until they turn tender.
- Chicken Casserole Soup: You can add chicken or beef broth and some extra veggies to the casserole and turn it into a hearty soup.
- Casserole Topped Potatoes: Top the air fryer baked potatoes with this leftover and cheese for an easy dinner.
What to Serve With Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole?
Here are 5 best variations you can serve to complement the rich and creamy Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole. So, consider serving:
- Vegetables: For vegetables, you can serve steamed or roasted broccoli, green beans, or asparagus for the best nutritional profile.
- Salads: As for salads, a light Napa Cabbage Salad, Smashed cucumber salad, or Persian salad can be the best options.
- Bread: Garlic bread, Ciabatta bread or dinner rolls can be a comforting addition.
- Starches: Smashed sweet potatoes or rice pilaf can completent the meal.
- Desserts: Peach Coconut Cobbler, and Snickerdoodle Cheesecake Bars can be the quick dessert options.
- Drinks: White wine or a light mint ginger lemonade.
Related Recipes You Can Try
Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
Equipment
- 1 9×13 inch pan (See my favorite pick)
- 1 Nonstick cooking spray
- 1 Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For Casserole
- 4 cups chicken cooked and shredded 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
- 4 oz cream cheese softened at room temperature
- 1 cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 11 oz condensed cream of chicken soup without any addition
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
For Topping
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter without salt
- 32 Ritz crackers 1 sleeve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Shred chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and condensed cream of chicken soup and seasoning.
- Combine shredded chicken and mixed ingredients together and stir untill chicken is coated with the cheese mixture.
- In a separate crush the Ritz crackers and add the melted butter. Mix them well.
- Pour the ingredients to the 9×9 baking dish.
- Now add the topping of crushed crackers and other toppings you like.
- Bake for 40 minutes in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C).
- Serve hot.
