Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

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Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Recipe is chock full of chicken in a creamy sauce with a crunchy topping of buttery Ritz crackers, tiny poppy seeds, and crunchy almonds — pure comfort food!

Sometimes we all need a hug, a kind word, a prayer, and the reassurance that everything will be all right in the end.

Maybe it’s a phone call or text, a handwritten note, or fresh flowers. Or maybe it’s comfort food like this Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole delivered to your front door that lets us know someone cares. 

Chicken Poppy Seed Casserole is my go-to recipe when I want to bring a comforting meal to a deserving friend. It transports well in throw-away aluminum pans to reheat for an easy dinner, AND there’s no need for my friend to wash and return cookware — toss it and forget it!

Many comfort casseroles are made with canned cream soups, but I’ve adapted the recipe to replace that with a cream soup substitute. It’s fresh and delicious!

Make this easy recipe a complete meal by serving it with my hassle-free Instant Pot Green Beans. Or try pairing it with Browned Butter Roasted Asparagus, or even Broccoli Bacon Salad! 

Key ingredients & substitutions for Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

• Chicken breasts — You’ll need boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces. This recipe is also the perfect casserole to throw together when you have leftover thanksgiving turkey!
• Butter — What do all comforting casseroles have? Butter, of course. If you prefer, you can use a non-dairy butter substitute.
• Flour — You’ll use a small amount of flour to create a gravy-like sauce to pour into this dish. If you don’t have flour on hand, you can substitute with cornstarch.

• Chicken broth — Choose the low-sodium option if you want to keep the recipe on the healthier side.
• Milk and sour cream — Milk and tangy sour cream make the sauce extra creamy and comforting.
• Water chestnuts — Crisp water chestnuts give this recipe a little crunch and some refreshing nutty flavor—canned or fresh will work just the same. You can change this out for more chopped almonds.

• Ritz crackers — Buttery crushed Ritz crackers top the casserole with additional texture and comforting flavor.
• Poppy seeds — Poppy seeds provide a rich and nutty taste to the dish — YUM!
• Almonds — Chopped almonds carry on more of the nutty and sweet flavors in this recipe. If you’re not a fan of almonds, try replacing them with hazelnuts, cashews, or pistachios.

How to make Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Step 1 | Prep

Begin preparing this easy and delicious poppy seed chicken casserole by preheating the oven. I always spray my baking dish with cooking spray before starting the recipe.

This is also a good time to chop your chicken, crunch up those golden crackers, slice the almonds, and drain the water chestnuts.

Step 2 | Layer the chicken

Next, melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a casserole dish. You can melt the butter in the microwave, or place the pan and butter in the oven while it is preheating.

Then get your precooked chicken and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Layer the cooked chicken pieces on top of the melted butter.

Step 3 | Make the sauce

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter (yes, more butter) and stir in 3 tablespoons of flour to make a roux. Cook for a couple of minutes on medium heat while continuously stirring.

Then, add the milk and chicken broth. Whisk until the texture becomes thick and creamy like gravy.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the seasonings, sour cream, and water chestnuts. Pour the warm gravy mixture over the layered chicken in your casserole dish.

Step 4 | Sprinkle the crunchy topping

Next, combine crushed Ritz crackers with poppy seeds and almonds in a medium-sized bowl. Pour an additional 2 tablespoons of melted butter into the cracker mixture and toss to coat all the topping ingredients.

Sprinkle the mixture all over the top of the casserole from one edge to the other.

Step 5 | And bake!

Place the chicken casserole dish into the preheated oven and bake for about half an hour or until the top is golden brown and bubbly.

Frequently asked questions

Behind the recipe: Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

This delicious Chicken Casserole with buttery crackers, almonds, and poppy seeds recipe was given to me by my sweet friend, Betty Jo, who has been in heaven for a few years now. I always think of her whenever I make it… it’s a true life, love, and good food memory.

I once had the privilege to participate in a virtual potluck. I am blessed to be a member of a food blogging community that includes some very caring and encouraging ladies. There, I learned about a fellow blogger, Ashley from Center Cut Cook, who’d been going through a rough time for several years.

Ashley’s husband, Ryan, was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer at age 29. Their infant son, Miles, needed a kidney and liver transplant due to Primary Hyperoxaluria (type 1).

Of course, I was happy to spread the word about a fundraiser in Ashley’s honor along with my blogging friends. This creamy Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole is just one of the many delicious comfort food recipes from our virtual potluck!

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Author: Sheila Thigpen

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole – chunks of chicken in a creamy sauce with a crunchy topping of Ritz crackers, poppy seeds, and almonds. Pure comfort food!

4.38 from 16 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Chicken

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 305 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cooked and cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup water chestnuts chopped (or 1/2 cup sliced almonds)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers
• 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
• ¼ cup chopped almonds
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in bottom of 2-quart casserole dish; layer cooked chicken pieces on top of butter in casserole dish.
• In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and stir in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and chicken broth and whisk continually until mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in salt, pepper, sour cream, and water chestnuts. Pour over chicken.
• In a medium size bowl, combine crushed Ritz crackers with poppy seeds and almonds. Pour 2 tablespoons melted butter into cracker mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle all over top of the casserole.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.

Notes

• If you have a family member that is not so fond of water chestnuts, you can omit them or chop them up small. I like them because they are high in fiber and have no fat, are low in calories, and contain antioxidants and vitamins.
• Want a mess-free way to crush the Ritz crackers? Place the correct amount in a large zippered plastic bag and take out some frustration! Using a rolling pin or a serving spoon, crush away. Then you can toss the bag after you put the crackers in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 6gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 468mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3g

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword casserole, chicken, poppy seed

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