This Ritz Cracker chicken casserole has a creamy shredded chicken filling and a cracker topping that bakes up buttery and golden. It's a great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken, and it's one of those easy dinners everyone asks for again and again!
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Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole: What You Need to Know
If you love a good easy casserole recipe like I do, today's your lucky day! I have a feeling this is going to end up being in my casserole hall of fame (along with recipes like my slow cooker sausage breakfast casserole and this creamy corn casserole).
This Ritz Cracker chicken casserole keeps things simple with just a few ingredients, a creamy shredded chicken filling, and a Ritz cracker topping that bakes up all buttery and golden. It's a great way to use leftover or rotisserie chicken, and it's one of those easy dinners everyone asks for again and again!
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients: 5
Pairs Well With: Rice or Mashed Potatoes
I hope your family loves this easy casserole as much as we do!
Ingredient Notes
(See recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient measurements.)
- Cooked shredded chicken - You can use cooked chicken breasts or shredded rotisserie chicken. Remove the skin and bones before adding it to the casserole.
- Cream of chicken soup - Cream of chicken with herbs adds a little more flavor, but regular cream of chicken works just fine. You can also use cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup.
- Sour cream - Regular or light sour cream will both work in this recipe.
- Butter - I use salted butter, but unsalted butter works too.
- Ritz crackers - Crush the crackers while they are still inside the sleeve. Leave a few small pieces instead of over-crushing them into a powder for a better topping texture.
Casserole Additions
- Veggies - This casserole is perfect with a few veggies added in! You can add frozen peas & carrots, broccoli florets, or even bell peppers to this before baking (just thaw any frozen veggies before adding so it doesn't make your casserole watery). I recommend adding about a cup of chopped or bite-sized veggies.
- Poppy seeds - If you love the classic poppy seed casserole recipe, this is almost identical. Just add a tablespoon of poppy seeds to change it up!
- Cheese - The original recipe does not need cheese, but it's an easy addition if you want a richer casserole. Mix ⅔ cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the chicken filling or sprinkle a small amount under the cracker topping.
How to Make Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
- Mix the chicken filling. Add the cooked shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream to a large mixing bowl. Stir until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Add the mixture to the baking dish. Grease a 2.5 quart baking dish, then spread the chicken mixture evenly in the dish.
- Add the cracker topping. Crush one sleeve of Ritz crackers and sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the chicken filling.
- Pour on the butter. Drizzle the melted butter over the crackers, covering as much of the topping as possible.
- Bake. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly around the edges and the cracker topping is golden brown.
Step-By-Step Recipe Video
Leftovers and Storage
LEFTOVERS: Leftovers should be stored (covered) in the refrigerator. It's best to enjoy this within 3-4 days of originally baking it.
REHEATING: Reheat single servings in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, adding more time as needed. For a crispier topping, reheat larger portions in the oven at 350°F until hot. (The microwave works faster, but the cracker topping will soften up some.)
FREEZING: This is a great freezer-friendly casserole! Freeze the unbaked chicken filling without the crackers or butter in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months.
When you're ready to serve, thaw it in the refrigerator, add crackers/butter, and bake as directed.
What to Serve with Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
I like to serve this casserole over perfectly cooked white rice. Mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or cauliflower rice also work well!
You can add a simple vegetable on the side, such as:
- Crispy Air Fryer Okra
- Roasted broccoli
- Bacon Ranch Green Beans
- Steamed peas
- A simple side salad
Leslie's Testing Notes
- To double the recipe, divide the mixture between two baking dishes and bake as directed. If you use one bigger dish (like a 9x13" rectangular dish), check that the center is completely hot before serving.
- Use fully cooked chicken. This casserole does not bake long enough to cook raw chicken safely.
- Add the Ritz topping right before baking. If it sits on the filling too long, the crackers can get soggy.
- Do not crush the crackers into dust. Leave a few small pieces for a better crunch.
- Spread the butter evenly. Drizzle it over the whole casserole so you do not end up with dry spots on top.
- The soup, butter, and crackers already bring plenty of salt to the recipe. If you're tempted to add salt, at least taste before adding any.
- Bake until the center is hot. The edges may start bubbling before the middle is fully heated through.
- Let it rest for about 5 minutes. This gives the filling time to thicken and makes the casserole easier to serve.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
I can't wait to see what you think of this one! If you give it a try, make sure to leave a review below. And follow along for the latest and greatest from the blog!
Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
- 20 oz cream of chicken soup (2 cans)
- 8 oz sour cream
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (crushed)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 2.5 quart baking dish.
- Add the cooked shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, and sour cream to a large bowl. Stir until evenly combined.
- Spread the chicken mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Crush the Ritz crackers, leaving a few small pieces for texture, and sprinkle them evenly over the filling.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the cracker topping.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is hot and bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use fully cooked chicken. Leftover chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken both work well.
- Add the cracker topping right before baking so it stays crisp.
- Taste the filling before adding salt. The soup, butter, and crackers already contain plenty.
- For more flavor, add garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, or poultry seasoning.
- Thaw and drain frozen vegetables before adding them to prevent a watery filling.
- To make ahead, prepare the chicken filling and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Add the crackers and butter just before baking.
- To freeze, freeze the filling without the topping for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight, then add fresh crackers and butter before baking.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven for the best topping texture.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 17 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
Could this recipe be a freezer meal, minus the crackers?
It definitely could! Yes, I would wait until you thaw to put the butter/crackers on top, but the rest should freeze with no problem.
So funny--I was a Tri Delta at Alabama and we loved this recipe too!
Since I published this, I've had girls at several other houses at Alabama tell me the same thing! The house moms must have been swapping recipes. 😉
I have lived out of my sorority house for 50 years, and I dont recall ever having this. Our house cook was famous for her cheese grits, and I made sure I didnt leave college without that recipe! I still make those grits to this day. The title of this dish intrigued me and I tried it tonight. It was really fast, easy and good! This will feed a crowd, for sure! Just had to imagine some cute houseboy was serving it to me...