Ritz Cracker Chicken - Cheesy chicken covered with crispy, baked Ritz Crackers and topped with a creamy, flavorful sauce!
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My son's last day of Kindergarten is tomorrow! Where has the time gone?! He's super excited to be moving on to 1st grade in the fall, but for now, he's looking forward to summer break! Heck, we're all looking forward to summer around here. The past few weeks have been rainy and cooler and I'm ready for those hot days and warm summer nights. I say, "BRING IT ON!"
We spend most of our time outdoors in the summer. We have such an active neighborhood with children all around, so there's always something going on. The kids play outside longer, dinner gets pushed until later, and before you know it, we all barrel into the house, look at the clock and realize that bedtime should have been about 30 minutes ago. Ahh, the summer.
While we give our grill quite the workout in the summer, it doesn't mean we ignore the oven. Some days there are just recipes I crave that aren't possible on the grill and this Ritz Cracker Chicken is one of them!
Could it be the cheddar cheese that I smoosh onto the chicken that makes it taste so good or is it the Ritz Cracker crust? The jury's still out on that one, but if I were to make an educated guess, I would say it's both.
What makes this chicken truly amazing, however, is the creamy chicken soup mixture you spoon over the top to give it one final burst of flavor.
I'm going to be honest with you about this chicken. This was not a planned post. This was just a normal dinner we were making one evening that I decided to document at the very last minute. #foodbloggerproblems
Is it worthy of sharing with you? YES, absolutely. It's delicious. My husband tells me it's the best chicken ever. I reminded him that he said the same thing about my Lemon Fried Chicken.
These impromptu photo shoots happen all of the time in our house, and to give you fair warning, they happen even more frequently in the summer. We're just so gosh darn busy! While the photography isn't exactly up to my normal standards, I knew you'd forgive me when you tasted the chicken.
What I love about this chicken is that it's versatile. Choose any flavor of Ritz Cracker you would like! I used Roasted Vegetable because that's what I had on hand. I served it with a noodle side dish and some broccoli.
We ate it ALL up. Let me tell you. While I was snapping pics at the table (yes the table) Josh, my hubby, was on the final bite of his first piece of chicken. He ran back to the pan and grabbed another. Did he think I wouldn't notice?
With the whirlwind of weeks we've been having lately there are probably plenty of things he's gotten away with that I haven't noticed! If your summer days are as busy as ours, you're going to need quick and easy recipes like this one. Don't fall victim to fast food. Keep things simple and delicious. . .and you'll make it through this busy summer just fine!
Ritz Cracker Chicken
Ingredients
- FOR THE CHICKEN
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers (crushed (I used Roasted Vegetable flavor))
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- Salt
- Garlic pepper
- FOR THE SAUCE
- 10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Whisk together the egg and ¼ cup milk.
- Place the crushed crumbs in a shallow dish and the cheddar cheese in another.
- Salt and pepper the chicken breasts, to taste.
- Dip the breasts into the egg and milk mixture.
- Cover the breasts with shredded cheese using your fingers to press the cheese onto the chicken.
- Place breasts into crumbs and cover entirely.
- Position chicken onto baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until breasts are fully cooked and the centers no longer pink.
- While chicken bakes, in a small saucepan, melt the butter and add the chicken soup, sour cream and milk. Whisk together until well-combined and warmed through. Serve sauce over the chicken.
Notes
- Cracker Choice: While Ritz crackers are a classic choice for this recipe, feel free to experiment with different flavors or types of crackers to customize the taste. For example, you could try using plain or seasoned crackers, or even panko breadcrumbs for a different texture.
- Cheese Coverage: Ensure that the shredded cheddar cheese fully covers the chicken breasts to create a flavorful and cheesy crust. Press the cheese onto the chicken firmly to help it adhere during baking. This not only adds flavor but also helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks.
- Sauce Consistency: When preparing the sauce, adjust the milk quantity based on your desired consistency. If you prefer a thicker sauce, use less milk, and if you prefer a thinner sauce, add more milk accordingly. Additionally, taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking before serving it over the chicken.
Angie
I only have chicken tenderloins, what would the time to cook it be cut down to?
Sara
Maybe 16-18 minutes, Angie? You'll just want to take the internal temp and keep checking until the centers are no longer pink.
Julia
Made this tonight for dinner for my boyfriend and I. We both loved it!! Great dish. Definitely a keeper!
Sara
I'm so glad the two of you enjoyed, Julia!
Linda
What kind of chicken breasts do you use? Are they boneless, skinless?
Sara
Yes, they are boneless and skinless.
Jen
This looks amazing but every time I cook chicken it is always dry. What can I do to prevent this? I'm a cooking newbie lol
Sara
Jen, get to "know" your oven. Check your meats frequently. Invest in a meat thermometer. When chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit, it's safe to eat. Once you become more familiar with your oven and identify if your cooking time is less than or more than what the recipe states, you'll be able to adapt future cooking times. Breading or coating chicken or covering your pan with aluminum foil while baking can also help keep it moist.
w t
good!
Asheton
This is an awesome recipe! I discovered it on the Plain Chicken blog a few years ago and it's been a staple ever since.
Susan
Your recipe looks amazing and I can't wait to try this. In the sauce section it calls for sour cream, but when mixing the ingredients in the pan it was not mentioned. Does the sour cream get added to the cream mix also? I assume it does, but just want to be sure. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I love Ritz crackers added to recipes, especially in meat loaf, so it should also be wonderful on chicken.
Sara
Hi Susan! Yes, it gets added to the cream mix. Thanks for the catch - I've updated the recipe!
Janette
I always have a box of ritz crackers hanging around waiting to be used! Now I know what I'm going to use them for! Thanks for the recipe!
Becky | The Cookie Rookie
Looks AMAZING! I need to try this for sure!!!
Deb @ Cooking on the Front Burner
Love this chicken recipe - looks fantastic!
Michelle Dunn
I made this for Thanksgiving, because my crew didn't want Turkey. It was the best tasting and moistest chicken I've had in a long time. Would it be ok to put this together a day ahead of time and then. Bake when needed or would that make the cracker's too soggy and ruin the dish? I'm making it for Christmas dinner and don't want to spend all day in the kitchen.
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
I agree...just because its summer doesn't mean I will forget all about our baked favorites! And this cheesy, Rtiz Chicken dish would definitely be a hit here!
Beth
I'm getting all mushy and gushy over this chicken - YUM!
Mariah @ Mariah's Pleasing Plates
Yay for your son graduating kindergarden! Time really does go by so fast!
This chicken looks amazing! I love how simple it is! Pinning!
amanda @ fake ginger
This is our first week of summer break and I'm already struggling to get the kids in bed at a decent hour. It's just so nice to be able to stay outside and play! They will LOVE this chicken - I'm definitely making it soon.
Kacey @ The Cookie Writer
What a great idea! I grew up on Ritz crackers. My daughter starts kindergarten in September, so I know what you mean about time flying by 🙂