Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Recipe

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My Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole recipe is easy, comforting, and delicious! It comes together quickly and bakes into a family-favorite casserole in under 30 minutes.

A bite of chicken on a fork from Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole. Broccoli is on the plate in the background.

There’s something so loved about a savory, comfort-food casserole! This tasty Poppy Seed Chicken fits that description and has been a favorite Southern casserole for as long as I can remember. It’s perfect for a busy weeknight family dinner and always a great casserole to make for a neighbor in need, new parents, or a friend who could use a hug in the form of a comforting casserole!

This chicken casserole is filled with chicken, is a breeze to make, and is ready to serve in 30 minutes. It’s also perfect to make ahead if you’d like. It freezes well and makes delicious leftovers, too. Make it for your next family supper, church potluck, or to take to a friend. You’ll love the comfort food taste it brings. Here’s how you’ll make it.

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

Ingredients to make Poppy Seed Chicken in glass bowls.

Chicken – It’s the main ingredient of this casserole, and it should be cooked and shredded.

Cream of Chicken Soup – I use my rich, creamy, and delicious homemade cream of chicken soup in this recipe. It adds incredible flavor to the dish, gives it a creamy consistency, and ties the other ingredients together.

Sour Cream – Gives the dish a bit of a tangy flavor and adds to the creamy base.

Stone House Seasoning – My family’s own favorite homemade salt, pepper, and garlic blend. I use it frequently to add flavor to so many recipes!

Poppy Seeds – These add a bit of a delicious, nutty taste to the casserole and so much visual appeal, too!

Cheddar cheese – Adds a tasty, rich flavor to this dish that my family loves. Some other recipes for this dish don’t include cheese, but my family recipe does, and we prefer the cheese in it! It’s so good! I recommend shredding your cheese from a block for the best results. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated with ingredients to keep the cheese from sticking together in the package. Freshly shredded cheese tastes and melts so much better!

Crushed Butter Crackers – Add a delicious, slightly crunchy texture to the beautiful golden topping.

Butter – Mixed with crushed butter crackers, it helps the topping to reach a golden brown color and tastes so delicious!

How to Make Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Prep. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Go ahead and shred your chicken if you haven’t already. Shred the cheddar cheese and melt your butter so they are ready to add to the recipe as directed.

A glass bowl holds shredded chicken, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, poppy seeds and is surrounded by glass bowls of shredded cheddar, butter crackers and melted butter in preparation to mix together a chicken casserole.
Glass mixing bowl with mixed ingredients for poppy seed chicken casserole. Surrounded by crushed butter crackers and melted butter on a white marble countertop.
White ceramic baking dish holds the chicken casserole ingredients while a bowl of crushed crackers and melted butter sit to the side waiting to top the dish.

Mix. Set aside the butter crackers and melted butter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spread the chicken casserole mixture into a 9×13 baking dish.

Crushed butter crackers and melted butter have been mixed and ready to be spread on top of poppy seed chicken casserole in white baking dish.
Chicken casserole is topped with buttery cracker topping all in a white baking dish and ready to bake.

Add topping. Add the crushed butter crackers (Ritz brand or similar crackers) and melted butter into a small mixing bowl and stir until combined. Spread it evenly on top of the chicken casserole.

Golden brown topping after Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole has been baked.
Golden brown topped Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole served on a plate with broccoli.

Bake and Serve. Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake as directed until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees and the topping is a light golden brown. Then remove from oven and serve after cooling for a few minutes.

Ways to Serve

Poppy Seed Chicken Variations

  • Use shredded turkey breast instead of chicken. A great way to use leftover turkey!
  • Mix a few sliced almonds into the cracker topping mixture for added crunch.
  • You can swap out the cheddar cheese and use Monterey Jack or another favorite flavorful cheese if you prefer.
Two plates hold servings of poppy seed chicken casserole along with fresh steamed broccoli and forks.

Recipe Tip

To save time for another meal during the week, make extra baked chicken breast for this or another recipe. And if you make my easy Shredded Chicken, make extra of it to have chicken enchiladas or chicken salad that week, too!

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

I love the ease of casseroles – delicious, comforting, and easy! And yes, this one is like most others because it is so simple to make ahead and freeze!

To make ahead. After completely cooling the casserole, wrap and refrigerate for up to two days for the freshest, best-tasting results.

To store. If you have leftovers, cool them completely and wrap them well or place them in an airtight container—put them in the refrigerator for up to four days.

To freeze. Wrap the cooled casserole well in freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to two months.

To reheat. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven, on the stovetop, or in the microwave. Be sure to heat the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees before serving.

Chunks of shredded chicken show in Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole on a plate with broccoli.

More Favorite Casserole Recipes

Hashbrown Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Green Bean Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Squash Casserole

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole Recipe

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My Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole is easy, comforting, and delicious! It comes together quickly and bakes into a family favorite casserole.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded, about 3 cups
  • 1 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon Stone House Seasoning
  • 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
  • 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2-ounces)
  • 1/2 cup crushed butter crackers
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350º F.
  • Mix the shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, Stone House Seasoning, poppy seeds, and shredded cheese together in a large bowl until well combined. Spread the chicken casserole mixture into a baking dish.
  • Add the crushed crackers and melted butter to a small mixing bowl. Stir until well combined. Spread evenly on top of the poppy seed chicken casserole.
  • Bake until the cracker topping begins to turn lightly golden brown and the internal temperature of the casserole is 165º F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:
To make ahead. Make the casserole as directed and allow it to cool completely. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two days for the best flavor. 
To store. If you have leftovers, cool them completely and wrap them well or place them in an airtight container—put them in the refrigerator for up to four days.
To freeze. Wrap the cooled casserole well in freezer-safe wrap and freeze for up to two months.
To reheat. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven, on the stovetop, or in the microwave. Be sure to heat the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 454kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 1107mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 997IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

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Recipe Review




2 Comments

  1. Rebecca says:

    Would it work to swap the sour cream for Greek yogurt?

    1. Robyn Stone says:

      Hi Rebecca,
      Great question. That swap works beautifully! Thanks so much for mentioning it.