My Dad’s Favorite Poppyseed Chicken

I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like Poppyseed Chicken.  And, wow!  It’s super easy to make.    

Now, y’all know I don’t make you cook with cream of whatever soup unless it’s absolutely necessary, which is rare.  Still, this IS the South after all, and sometimes you just have to do what’s required.  Believe me, cream of chicken soup is required here, so don’t fight it.  Poppyseed Chicken isn’t a spa recipe, but it isn’t terrible, either.  It’s not like you’ll be eating it 24/7/365.  You won’t even be eating it all week.  It’s too tasty to last that long.

My Dad likes this particular version so much because it’s so flavorful.  Here’s why (sometimes it’s the small steps that matter):

Seasoning the cooked chicken breast with salt, pepper, and onion powder before adding to the other ingredients really does make a difference.  I use rotisserie chicken breast if I have it, otherwise I bake or poach chicken breast, preferably on the bone.  I season it as part of this recipe either way. 

Using both lemon juice and lemon zest drives home the bright acidity that complements the rich sauce.  

Being willing to add a dash of honey if your sauce is too tart–lemons aren’t all created equal–ensures a balanced dish.  

Finally, when I say buttery crackers, I mean Ritz crackers.  Store brand buttery crackers will work, random other crackers will not.  If you follow this simple recipe, I promise you’ll be rewarded with the best Poppyseed Chicken ever. 

Serve over cooked rice or egg noodles.

Oh, and my go-to side dish for Poppyseed Chicken is a fresh fruit salad with honey-lime dressing.  How healthy is that?!

Print Recipe

Poppyseed Chicken

Ingredients

• 3-4 cups cooked chicken breast, pulled apart into chunks, but not finely shredded
• salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste
• zest of one lemon and the juice of ½ the lemon--make sure no seeds get into the bowl
• 1 10 oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 12 oz. sour cream--that's ¾ of a 16 oz. carton
• 2 t. poppyseeds
• dash of honey, optional
• Salt, pepper, and onion powder to taste
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 sleeve buttery crackers, crushed
• Steamed white rice or cooked egg noodles for serving

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°.
• Season the chicken well with salt, pepper, and onion powder. Set aside.
• Stir together the other ingredients except the butter and cracker crumbs. Fold in the chicken. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Put in an 8X8 or similar-sized baking dish.
• Toss together the melted butter and cracker crumbs. Sprinkle over the top of the chicken mixture. Bake for 30-35 minutes until hot and the the topping is browned.
• Serve over rice or noodles.