Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole is a super easy weeknight dinner that’s great for using leftover or rotisserie chicken. It’s a family favorite!

When I was first married more than a couple of decades ago and living on my own, I spent a lot of time at my in-law’s house.

One meal they made quite often was this Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole. I didn’t grow up with a lot of casseroles and this one was so delicious – I immediately fell in love.

I found out how to make it and it became a staple in our meal plan since then. It’s one of those recipes that we make so often that I never realized that I hadn’t shared it here with you – until now.

I love this recipe because of its simplicity and because it was one of the first things I made on my own. It gave me a sense of accomplishment that I could make something like this and could enjoy sharing it with others too.

The creamy mixture of the sour cream and chicken soup along with the seasonings pairs so perfectly with the buttery crumbles of the crushed Ritz crackers. It is definitely a family favorite and I know you’ll love it too.

Ritz Chicken Casserole

Here are some commonly asked questions

What is the easiest way to crush the crackers?

This part is simple. I usually dump them all in a zip-top bag & just crush them with my hands. They are so flaky that they don’t need pounding with a rolling pin or anything like that.

Sometimes I just take the tube of them & just sort of crush them in the packaging before dumping them into a bowl. You don’t need a food processor or any special equipment.

What is the best way to store leftover chicken casserole?

After serving, place any leftover casserole in a shallow airtight container. Be sure to label with the date before refrigerating. The casserole should keep for up to 3 days.

As with most things, it is important to get food into the refrigerator within 1 hour after serving to prevent bacteria growth.

Why use a shallow container to store the leftovers?

Well, when the container is shallow, the contents chill faster than if you were to use a large, deep container. Ideally, you don’t want it to take too long for the leftovers to get to their chilled/stored temperature.

As I mentioned, if the food remains above about 35 degrees for more than 1 hour after cooking, the bacteria starts to grow.

So, if the deep container of food takes several hours to finally get to that 35 degrees, the bacteria has been growing in your leftovers for those several hours. Not exactly what you want to happen.

recipe chicken casserole

Can this recipe be doubled?

Yes, you can double this recipe. However, you will have to use 2 casserole dishes to accommodate the volume once everything is mixed together. But you can bake them side-by-side.

Can this be made with frozen chicken?

I don’t recommend trying to make this recipe with frozen chicken. This recipe works best with leftover or rotisserie chicken. You can also use canned chicken if needed.

How many can this serve?

This will depend greatly on portion sizes & the appetites of your crowd. We typically get 2 nights out of this recipe for our family of 5. (we have 3 adult children)

chicken casserole with Ritz crackers

What to serve with this casserole

While we typically let this dinner be a stand-alone dish, sometimes we will add a side or two to balance things out. Here is a list of our favorite recipes to pair with this casserole.

• Garlic Parmesan Pull-Apart Biscuits
• 30-Minute DInner Rolls
• Bacon and Garlic Green Beans
• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
• Cheesy Spinach Crescents

best chicken casserole ever

Can I use cream of mushroom soup instead?

Absolutely! We love using cream of mushroom, cream of celery, whatever we have on hand at the time.

Can this be made with frozen veggies?

If you’d like to add veggies, that will work, but I don’t recommend adding them in while they are frozen. I prefer canned veggies when adding them to this casserole because it keeps the baking time to a minimum.

But if you must use frozen, just run them under warm water for a few minutes and drain really well before adding to the mixture.

You don’t want the added moisture that will be released from frozen veggies or the casserole won’t have the right consistency.

million-dollar chicken casserole

Ingredients for Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

• cooked chicken – shredded or chopped – either rotisserie or leftovers
• condensed cream of chicken soup
• sour cream
• dried minced onions
• granulated garlic
• onion powder
• salt
• pepper
• Ritz crackers – crushed
• butter – melted

TIP: Make sure the chicken is cooled – preferably chilled – otherwise the sour cream can curdle during the mixing process.

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How to make Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking oil – set aside.
3. Combine the chicken, condensed soup, sour cream, minced onions, granulated garlic, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix to combine.
4. Spread the mixture out into the prepared pan and them top with the crushed crackers.
5. Drizzle the melted butter over the top.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

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• casserole dish
• blue casserole dish – shown here
• mixing bowl
• spatulas
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• cream of chicken soup
• Ritz Crackers
• granulated garlic
• onion powder
• table salt
• pepper

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If you love this Easy Chicken Casserole recipe, you’re going to love these other dinners too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!

Other Casseroles

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Loaded Tater Tot Casserole

Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole

Ham and Potato Casserole

Sausage and Rice Casserole

BBQ Ranch Chicken Casserole

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Tater Tot Casserole

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