Poppy Seed Chicken

This is a great recipe and a favorite at our house. You could easily half the recipe because it does make a 9x13 pan full OR do like I do, make it then freeze what we don't eat for another meal later. This is a very popular dish in the south and I took 2 different recipes I had and combined them. I sure there are a ton of different ways to make Poppy Seed Chicken but this is how we like it at our house. As with most casseroles, it tastes so much better the next day. So I like to make it the day before and then just reheat it - so good & easy for during the week!

Poppy Seed Chicken

1 whole chicken, boiled, de-boned & chopped (you may also use chicken pieces or a package of boneless chicken breast)
2 cans of cream of chicken
1/2 cup chopped celery
16 oz sour cream
1-2 tablespoon of poppy-seeds (I don't measure just throw a palm full or so in)
3 tubes of Ritz crackers
1 stick of butter, melted
Black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook chicken & cut or tear into pieces. Mix cooked chicken, cream of chicken, sour cream, celery, and poppy seeds & black pepper. Pour into 9x13 casserole dish. Put Ritz crackers in a large zip-lock bag and crush. Add melted butter to crackers. Pour of the chicken mixture. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.


I like to eat mine over rice and AB likes his over mashed potatoes. But you don't have to eat it over anything, it's that good! I also like to serve a salad with it. I love this recipe & love that it freezes so well. Some recipes omit the celery and add almonds. Some recipes also call for cream of mushroom & cream of chicken. I just use whatever I have on hand but I normally keep both in the pantry most of the time. Don't feel like cooking chicken, I bet this recipe would be just as good with a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Make this for your next potluck, church luncheon, or make it to take to a friend who might enjoy some good ol' comfort food. But most definitely make it for you & your own family!