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Poppy Seed Chicken is a creamy, comforting casserole that’s perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks. With just a few simple ingredients like tender chicken, sour cream, and a buttery Ritz cracker topping, this dish comes together quickly and bakes to golden, bubbly perfection.
This Poppy Seed Chicken casserole is a classic comfort food that’s easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser. Make this for a cozy dinner with the family or prep ahead for a busy week. It’s a dish you’ll come back to again and again!
Try this next: If you love easy casseroles, check out my Broccoli Rice Casserole or Creamy Turkey Tetrazzini!
Pin this recipe for later!Why I Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – Just 10 minutes of prep before popping it in the oven.
- Simple ingredients – Uses pantry staples like cream of chicken soup and crackers.
- Family-friendly – Mild flavors make it a hit with kids and adults alike.
- Great for meal prep – Can be made ahead and even frozen for later.
RECIPE WALK-THROUGH
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Use any cooked chicken you have on hand. A rotisserie chicken works great for convenience.
- Parmesan cheese – Adds a rich, slightly nutty flavor to the sauce.
- Ritz crackers – Provide a buttery, crunchy topping. Feel free to substitute with crushed cornflakes or panko.
How To Make Poppy Seed Chicken
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix the sauce – In a large bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, parsley, and garlic powder.
Add the chicken – Stir in the cooked, chopped chicken until fully coated.
Assemble the casserole – Spread the chicken mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish.
Prepare the topping – Toss crushed Ritz crackers with melted butter and sprinkle over the casserole.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
- Make it kid-friendly – Reduce the poppy seeds or leave them out if your kids are picky.
- Add veggies – Stir in frozen peas, broccoli, or mushrooms for extra nutrition.
- Make it spicy – Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce to the sauce.
- Swap the crackers – Try using crushed potato chips or seasoned breadcrumbs instead.
Storage Tips
The Best Way to Store Leftovers
Store: Leftovers should be cooled completely and then stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge.
Freeze: Prepare the casserole without the crushed crackers. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil and freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze the crackers with melted butter in a separate freezer bag so everything will be ready to go. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then add the crackers and bake as directed. You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Reheating: Reheat leftovers in the microwave for 60-90 seconds, stirring once halfway through.
Recipe Tips
- Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole without the crushed crackers. Place the cracker/butter mixture in a separate container. Cover the casserole tightly and store in the fridge until you’re ready to bake, up to 24 hours, then add the crackers and bake as directed.
- Make It At Home: If you want to make your own condensed cream of chicken soup, this recipe is great!
More Easy Chicken Dinners
- Skillet Lemon Chicken and Rice
- One Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
- Chicken & Asparagus Sheet Pan Dinner
- Doritos Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti
- Spinach Stuffed Chicken
- Tequila Lime Chicken
Poppy Seed Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 cans Cream of chicken soup
- 16 ounces Sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds
- 3/4 cup Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dried parsley
- 3/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 5 cups Cooked chicken, chopped into bite-size pieces
- 2 cups Crushed Ritz crackers
- 1/2 cup Melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, Parmesan cheese, pepper, parsley, and garlic powder. Add the chicken and stir until completely coated in the sauce. Transfer the chicken and sauce mixture to a large 9×13" baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, pour the melted butter over the crushed Ritz crackers and toss together with a fork to create the buttery cracker topping. Sprinkle over the chicken filling.
- Bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes until hot all the way through and bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
I made this for a group meeting at church. It was a GREAT success. I had sent out what I was making before hand to make sure everyone could eat the small seeds. Everyone was curious what it would taste like. No one was disappointed.
I doubled the recipe, so prep time was a little longer. I used rotisserie chickens. This added some flavor also.
Definitely a favorite for pot lucks and family dinners.
Awesome feedback Sue! Thanks for stopping by.
This is one of my favorites but I wanted to share an accidental alteration that turned out well. I once bought shredded pepper jack instead of parmesan because the color of the letters on the bag was almost identical. I made it anyways since I didn’t have a backup plan. It turned out really well. Not too spicy but gave a nice kick to it.
That sounds delicious!
This is my favorite poppyseed chicken recipe! The Parmesan cheese really adds flavor. We’re a family of four (two toddlers), and I love to split the recipe to cook half and freeze the rest. Delicious with some roasted broccoli on the side!
Been making this dish for 20 yrs. Always a favorite. However I mix 2 sticks ritz with 1-2 sticks melted butter in a ziplock and press that to form crust in pan and bake that till crust turns slightly brown. then put the poppy seed chicken mixture on the crust and finish baking. Last 5 mins of baking I top with crumbled ritz and toast. So yummy.
Thank you for sharing Heather.
I never had Parmesan in my poppyseed chicken I will have to try it sounds good. I put cheddar cheese on top of the mixture then top with the crackers. I serve it with rice. Everyone loves it
Nice! Thanks for stopping by Staci.
My family and I liked this. To have one less item to wash and put away, I mixed everything together in the dish I baked the casserole in.
Love the feedback Jacklyn! Thanks for stopping by.
My families favorite dish. Came out perfect o followed recipe exact ❤️ I serve it over rice.
Awesome feedback Heather! Thanks for stopping by.
What cracker could you use instead of Ritz? My daughter doesn’t like them
Saltines or club crackers would be an alternative.
Can this be frozen after baking?
As stated in the post: CAN YOU FREEZE POPPY SEED CHICKEN?
Yes! Poppy seed chicken is a great meal to make to have on hand in the freezer or to give to a friend who is going through a hard time or just had a baby.
Just make the poppy seed chicken up through adding the Ritz cracker topping, but don’t bake it. Instead, cover tightly with plastic wrap, then freeze for up to 1 month. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.