Description
Crispy Cheddar Chicken is a deliciously crunchy and cheesy baked chicken recipe featuring a crispy Ritz cracker crust, a rich cheddar cheese coating, and a creamy chicken soup sauce. Perfect for a comforting family dinner, this dish yields tender juicy chicken with a golden brown crust and a flavorful, creamy sauce on the side.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 lb chicken tenders or 4 large chicken breasts
- 2 sleeves Ritz crackers, crushed into fine crumbs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup whole milk (2% milk can be substituted)
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Sauce
- 10 oz can cream of chicken soup
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: If using chicken breasts, cut each breast into three large pieces. This ensures even cooking and bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare Coating Stations: In three shallow pans, pour the milk in one, grated cheddar cheese in the second, and crushed Ritz crackers seasoned with salt and pepper in the third.
- Coat Chicken: Dip each piece of chicken into the milk, then into the grated cheddar, pressing gently to adhere the cheese, and finally dip into the seasoned cracker crumbs, pressing firmly for an even coating.
- Arrange in Pan: Place coated chicken pieces in a greased 9×13 inch baking pan, spacing them evenly to allow for proper cooking.
- Add Parsley and Bake Covered: Sprinkle dried parsley over the coated chicken. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35 minutes to cook the chicken through.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove foil and bake an additional 10–15 minutes, until the coating is golden brown and crispy.
- Make Creamy Sauce: While the chicken bakes, combine cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk over medium-high heat until the sauce is smooth and heated through.
- Serve: Serve the crispy cheddar chicken hot, drizzled with or accompanied by the creamy chicken sauce.
Notes
- Using chicken tenders speeds up cooking time compared to whole breasts.
- For extra crispiness, you can broil the chicken for 2–3 minutes at the end, watching closely to prevent burning.
- This recipe can be made with 2% milk if whole milk is not available.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated and used as a creamy dip or gravy for other dishes.
- Ensure even coating for the perfect crispy crust by pressing firmly during each dipping stage.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
