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A fork lifts a creamy, cheesy scoop of homemade poppy seed chicken casserole from a white baking dish, showing tender chicken, black poppy seeds, and a golden, crispy topping.

poppy seed chicken casserole

A creamy, comforting poppy seed chicken casserole with tender chicken, buttery cracker topping, and a nutty twist from poppy seeds—perfect for picky eaters, potlucks, and make-ahead meals.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Creamy poppy seed chicken casserole, Healthy poppy seed chicken casserole, poppy seed chicken casserole, Poppy seed chicken casserole with noodles, Poppy Seed chicken casserole with rice, Poppy seed chicken no soup, Poppy Seed Chicken Pioneer Woman, Poppy seed chicken recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 420kcal
Cost: $13

Equipment

  • 1 9x13 baking dish (Butter or spray before adding filling)
  • 1 Large bowl (For mixing chicken and sauce)
  • 1 Measuring set (Cups and spoons)
  • 1 Wooden spoon (For folding mixture)
  • 1 Zip-top bag (For crushing crackers)
  • 1 Food processor (Optional for quicker cracker crushing)

Ingredients

  • 3–4 cups Cooked chicken - Shredded (rotisserie works great)
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) Cream of chicken soup - Regular or low-sodium
  • 1 cup Sour cream - Or Greek yogurt (use ¾ cup)
  • 2 tablespoon Poppy seeds
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon juice - Fresh or bottled
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Black pepper
  • 35–40 Ritz crackers - Crushed
  • ¼ cup Butter - Melted
  • ¼ cup Parmesan cheese - Grated
  • 1 tablespoon Dried parsley - Optional
  • 2 tablespoon Apple juice - Optional – adds sweet/savory twist
  • Optional Add-ins
  • ½ cup Celery - Diced
  • ½ cup Water chestnuts - Sliced
  • ⅓ cup Sliced almonds
  • ½ cup Cheddar cheese - Shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • In a large bowl, mix soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, lemon juice, garlic powder, and black pepper.
    A clear glass mixing bowl filled with a homemade topping mixture of crushed buttery crackers, poppy seeds, Parmesan cheese, melted butter, and parsley for poppy seed chicken casserole, sitting on a white marble surface.
  • Fold in shredded chicken and spread mixture into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.
  • Crush Ritz crackers and combine with melted butter, Parmesan, parsley, and optional apple juice.
    Top-down view of an unbaked poppy seed chicken casserole in a white square baking dish. The creamy chicken mixture is topped evenly with a golden, crushed cracker and poppy seed topping, ready to go into the oven. The dish rests on a clean white marble surface.
  • Sprinkle cracker topping over the casserole and bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling.
  • Let rest for 5 minutes, cut into squares, and serve over rice or noodles.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be considered an approximation. Actual values may vary based on specific ingredients used and portion sizes

Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 710mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 550IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1.4mg