Chicken on the Ritz Casserole

4.94 from 60 votes

Fewer than ten simple ingredients come together in a velvety, creamy sauce that elevates this delicious chicken on the ritz casserole. It's the perfect Southern comfort food for busy weeknights.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Jenny DeRemer

Cost: $0.91 per serving

Equipment

2 1/2-quart (9x9-inch) or 3-quart (12x9-inch) casserole dish
food processor or mixing bowl
rubber spatula

Ingredients

4 cups chicken breast meat or thigh meat or both cooked and shredded or chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup cottage cheese whipped; see process notes in recipe card below
4 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 10.75 ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup or condensed cream of mushroom soup
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon sweet yellow curry powder
optional Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 sleeve (32 crackers) Ritz crackers half crushed into fine crumbs, half into larger bits and pieces

Optional Casserole Add-Ins

½ cup long grain rice cooked LESS 2 minutes; slightly cooled and fluffed so it does not clump
1 cup pasta noodles such as elbows or egg noodles cooked LESS 2 minutes
3 strips bacon cooked, crumbled
½ cup broccoli florets par-boiled or steamed
1 small can water chestnuts diced

Optional Ritz Topping Add-Ins

½ to ½ cup cheddar cheese shredded from a large block
¼ to ½ cup french fried onions

Optional for Garnish

2 tablespoons green onions chopped; green and light green parts only
2 teaspoons fresh parsley or thyme minced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or spray lightly with cooking spray the casserole dish you will use. Set aside. In a bowl, add the crushed Ritz cracker crumbs and melted butter and mix well to coat the crackers. Set aside.
In the barrel of a food processor or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, whip the cottage cheese to a smooth consistency, about 1 minute. (It's okay if a few curds remain, or if you prefer, skip this step altogether; I do this because I find many dislike the texture of cottage cheese.)
To the cottage cheese add the cream cheese, sour cream, cream soup, onion and garlic powder, and curry powder. Pulse or beat until well combined, 30 to 45 seconds. Add the prepared cooked chicken to the soup mixture. If you used a food processor, it may be more helpful to transfer the soup mixture to a large bowl to do this. (If using any casserole add-ins, incorporate them now.) Stir well to combine everything.
Scrape the chicken mixture into the prepared casserole dish and scatter the buttery Ritz cracker topping over the top of the chicken. (If using any Ritz topping add-ins, incorporate them now. For a layer of shredded cheese, add it to the top of the chicken before adding the Ritz topping.) Place into the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
Allow the casserole to stand 10 minutes before serving as the contents will be very hot. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, thyme leaves, or chopped green onion if desired. Offer parmesan cheese tableside if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Use leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken or drained canned meat that's been shredded and cut into bite-sized pieces. Personally, I like to use a mix of both light and dark meat in this casserole.
To Make Ahead: Assemble casserole without adding buttery cracker topping. Cover with plastic film or aluminum foil and refrigerate until ready to bake, or up to 3 days. Remove from refrigeration 30 minutes before baking and allow to come to room temperature. Butter cracker crumbs and add to the top. Bake as indicated in the recipe card above. Store leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the casserole microwave on low for 1 minute, stir, then microwave 1 minute more.
To freeze this casserole for up to 3 months, assemble and pour into a freezer-safe dish prior to baking. Disposable pans work well for this. Bake as indicated in the recipe card and cool completely. Once cooled, wrap in plastic wrap, and then in foil and place in the freezer. To thaw, place in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigeration 30 minutes before reheating in a low oven, covered, for about 25 minutes or may microwave individual portions.

Nutrition