Description
Ritz Chicken and Rice Casserole brings comfort straight from Grandma’s kitchen to your dinner table, delivering a classic one-dish meal that feels like a warm hug. Crispy cracker topping and tender chicken nestled in creamy rice make this classic recipe a total crowd-pleaser your family will request again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (10.5 ounces) can cream of chicken soup
Grains and Crackers:
- 1 ½ cups brown rice
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers
Dairy and Seasonings:
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and coat a 9×13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter or cooking spray, ensuring complete coverage.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk 1 can cream of chicken soup, ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper until completely smooth.
- Add 2 cups shredded chicken, 1 ½ cups cooked brown rice, 1 cup shredded cheddar, and ½ cup mozzarella cheese to the creamy mixture, stirring until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the chicken and rice blend into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly across the surface.
- Crush 1 cup Ritz crackers and mix with 3 tablespoons melted butter and ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese until well blended.
- Scatter the buttery cracker mixture uniformly over the casserole, creating a crisp, golden topping.
- Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 35 minutes, watching for a bubbling texture and golden-brown surface.
- Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to settle for 5 minutes, helping it set and cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Swap rotisserie chicken for a quick weeknight dinner shortcut that saves serious prep time.
- Gluten-free diets can replace Ritz crackers with crushed gluten-free crackers or panko breadcrumbs for the same crunchy topping.
- For a lighter version, use low-fat cream of chicken soup, reduced-fat cheeses, and Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Leftover casserole keeps wonderfully in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and reheats best when covered with foil in a 350F oven for about 15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
- Category: Casseroles
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg