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Delicious and easy hearty budget friendly casserole you can throw together in a few minutes with a rotisserie chicken, ritz crackers, soup, and frozen vegetables – a crowd pleasing dinner that fills you up without breaking the bank!
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Cheesy Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole
This casserole is often referred to as “crack chicken casserole” – but I’ve always thought that name was really weird and cringey – instead of just being creamy comfort!
We’re adding ranch, condensed soup, and time-saving rotisserie chicken – simply shred, mix with ingredients, and bake!
You can use pre-shredded chicken, but I recommend shredding your own, for better melting.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tip
Costco rotisserie chicken is a budget-friendly star in our house – they run around $5, are easy to shred, and you can use the bones to make stock when you’re done!
To make this casserole, we will need the following ingredients:
- Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup: This serves as the creamy base for the casserole, providing flavor, thickness, and a comforting texture.
- Shredded Rotisserie Chicken: The shredded chicken adds a protein-packed element to the casserole. Rotisserie chicken is flavorful and convenient to use.
- Frozen Vegetables: These add color, texture, and nutritional value to the casserole. You can use a mix of vegetables such as peas, carrots, and corn.
- Ritz Crackers: Crushed Ritz crackers create a crispy and buttery topping for the casserole, adding a delightful crunch.
- Ranch Dressing Mix: The ranch dressing mix infuses the casserole with savory and herby flavors, enhancing the overall taste.
- Cream Cheese: Cream cheese contributes creaminess and richness to the dish, creating a luscious texture.
- Shredded Monterey Cheese: This cheese adds a layer of melty, gooey goodness and enhances the overall cheesiness of the casserole.
- Italian Herbs Seasoning Blend: The Italian herbs seasoning blend brings a blend of herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme, providing a savory and aromatic profile.
- Garlic Salt: Garlic salt adds a hint of garlic flavor and enhances the overall seasoning of the casserole.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or casserole dish and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded rotisserie chicken, cream of chicken soup, frozen vegetables, and ranch dressing mix. Mix them together until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Add the cream cheese to the chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir well to incorporate the cream cheese evenly into the mixture.
- Spread the creamy chicken and vegetable mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the shredded Monterey cheese over the top of the casserole.
- In a small bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers, Italian herbs seasoning blend, and garlic salt. Mix them together.
- Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the cheese layer in the casserole dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and bubbly, and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Tips and Tricks For Perfect Creamy Chicken Casserole
Use Rotisserie Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is flavorful and convenient. It saves you time on cooking and adds a delicious taste to the casserole. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces for even distribution.
Choose Frozen Vegetables: Frozen vegetables are convenient and maintain their freshness. Use a mix of your favorite vegetables to add color and variety to the casserole.
Soften Cream Cheese: Ensure the cream cheese is softened before adding it to the casserole mixture. This makes it easier to blend and results in a smoother, creamier texture.
Season Thoughtfully: The ranch dressing mix, Italian herbs seasoning blend, and garlic salt provide ample seasoning. Taste the mixture before baking to adjust the seasonings to your liking.
Crush Ritz Crackers Nicely: Crush the Ritz crackers finely for a uniform and crispy topping. You can use a food processor or a sealed plastic bag and a rolling pin to crush them.
Layer Ingredients Evenly: Spread the chicken and vegetable mixture evenly in the baking dish, ensuring each bite has a balanced combination of ingredients. Likewise, distribute the shredded cheese and cracker topping evenly.
Preheat the Oven: Always preheat your oven before baking to ensure even cooking and proper browning.
Cover if Needed: If you find the top of the casserole is browning too quickly, you can loosely cover it with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning while the interior cooks through.
Let It Rest: Allow the casserole to rest for a few minutes after baking. This helps the flavors meld and makes it easier to cut and serve.
Customize: Feel free to customize the casserole with your favorite ingredients. You can add diced onions, bell peppers, or other seasonings to suit your taste.
Make Ahead: You can prepare the casserole in advance, cover it, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. This is convenient for meal planning.
Serve with Fresh Greens: Balance the richness of the casserole with a side salad or steamed greens for a complete meal.
FAQs
While cream cheese adds creaminess, you can omit it or use a lower-fat cream cheese alternative if preferred.
Some popular side dishes include green salads, steamed vegetables, rice, garlic bread, and mashed potatoes.
Yes, you can use fresh chicken breasts or thighs. Simply cook and shred the chicken before adding it to the casserole.
If you don’t have ranch dressing mix, you can use a combination of dried herbs and spices like dried parsley, dill, onion powder, and garlic powder to mimic the flavor.
Absolutely! You can customize the vegetable mix to your liking. Some options include diced bell peppers, peas, carrots, or green beans.
Ritz crackers provide a buttery and crispy topping, but you can use crushed breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes as an alternative.
Yes, you can assemble the casserole in advance, cover it, and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. Just be sure to add the cracker topping just before baking.
Yes, you can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Thaw and reheat in the oven or microwave before serving.
To reheat, you can cover the casserole with foil and warm it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through, or microwave individual portions until hot.
What to Serve With creamy Chicken Casserole
Green Salad: Serve a fresh green salad with a light vinaigrette dressing. The crispness of the salad complements the creamy casserole.
Steamed Vegetables: Steamed vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, or asparagus provide a healthy and colorful side.
Garlic Bread or Dinner Rolls: Crusty garlic bread or soft dinner rolls are perfect for sopping up the creamy sauce.
Rice or Pasta: Serve the casserole over a bed of cooked rice or pasta to make it a heartier meal.
Mashed Potatoes: Creamy mashed potatoes are a classic and comforting side dish that pairs well with the casserole.
Coleslaw: A side of coleslaw, either creamy or vinegar-based, adds a refreshing crunch to the meal.
Roasted Vegetables: Roasted vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and bell peppers bring out the flavors of the casserole.
Fruit Salad: A fruit salad with fresh seasonal fruits adds a sweet and refreshing contrast to the creamy dish.
Crispy Bacon: Crumbled crispy bacon bits sprinkled on top of the casserole can provide a savory and crunchy element.
Soup: A light soup, such as a tomato or vegetable soup, can be served as a starter to complement the casserole.
Cornbread: Sweet or savory cornbread is a delightful accompaniment, especially if you enjoy the combination of cornbread and chicken.
Grilled or Steamed Corn: Corn on the cob is a simple and tasty side dish that pairs well with the casserole.
Roasted Garlic: Roasted garlic cloves can be spread on bread or served alongside the casserole for added flavor.
Sautéed Spinach: Sautéed spinach with garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice provides a healthy and vibrant side.
Try these recipes next:
Creamy Chicken Vegetable Casserole Recipe
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Creamy Chicken Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds shredded rotisserie chicken
- 10.5 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 1 pound frozen vegetables such as peas, carrots, and corn
- 2 tablespoons about one package ranch dressing mix
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 cup shredded Monterey cheese
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers crushed
- 1 tablespoon Italian herbs seasoning blend
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or casserole dish and set it aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the shredded rotisserie chicken, condensed cream of chicken soup, frozen vegetables, and ranch dressing mix. Mix them together until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it's smooth and creamy.
- Add the cream cheese to the chicken and vegetable mixture. Stir well to incorporate the cream cheese evenly into the mixture.
- Spread the creamy chicken and vegetable mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the shredded Monterey cheese over the top of the casserole.
- In a small bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers, Italian herbs seasoning blend, and garlic salt. Mix them together.
- Sprinkle the cracker mixture evenly over the cheese layer in the casserole dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the casserole is hot and bubbly, and the top is golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.
Yum and easy
Hi. You mention cream of chicken soup but it’s not listed in the ingredients list? 1 can, 10.5 oz?
Thank you for pointing that out, its a 10.5 oz can of cream of chicken soup and you add it to the chicken vegetable mixture, I have updated the recipe card.