Comforting Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole with Rice

This delicious Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole with rice and creamy sauce is the perfect comfort food for any occasion. Serve it for dinner tonight and watch everyone come back for seconds!

This is a delicious meal to make ahead and heat up when you are ready to eat. It’s a great dinner to make on a cold day and serve with hot bread.

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What Makes Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole So Good? 

A casserole may not be the most exciting dinner option, but it is quick, cheap, and easy to make. Besides, if you choose the right one, it can be awfully tasty.

This Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole recipe combines tender chicken chunks, creamy mushroom and chicken soup, tangy sour cream, filling rice, and crunchy Ritz crackers into a delicious and convenient one-dish dinner that your family will love. 

Why You Should Try This Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole Recipe

Having another casserole recipe on hand is never a bad thing, especially when it is as tasty as this one. Unlike other versions of this recipe that use a multitude of seasonings, this casserole is relatively mild, making it ideal for mealtime with kids.

Adding rice to this recipe helps stretch the chicken to feed more people and makes the casserole easier to cut. Check out the section below for a few ways to modify the recipe for added variety. 

Cracker Topped Chicken and Rice Casserole Ingredients

To prepare this recipe, you’ll need:

• Cooked chicken – Provides satisfying protein and hearty texture
• Chicken broth – Adds savory depth and helps cook the rice
• Minute Rice – Absorbs flavors while creating a filling base
• Sour cream – Contributes tangy richness and creamy texture
• Condensed cream of chicken soup – Creates silky sauce with concentrated flavor
• Condensed cream of mushroom soup – Adds earthy depth and additional creaminess
• Chopped onion (optional) – Provides aromatic foundation and subtle sweetness
• Butter – Creates rich, golden topping when combined with crackers
• Ritz crackers – Deliver signature buttery crunch as the perfect topping

You can use other instant rice brands, such as Target’s Good & Gather or Walmart’s Great Value, in place of Minute Rice. 

Club Crackers make an excellent substitution for Ritz Crackers. 

How to Make Chicken Casserole With Ritz Crackers and Rice

To prepare this casserole:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl. Or use shredded chicken if you prefer.

3. Add chicken broth, rice, sour cream, and two cans of creamed soup.

4. Add the sauteed onions, if using. Stir to combine.
5. Pour the chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish. Shake the baking dish back and forth to spread out the mixture and pop any bubbles. 
6. Bake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.  

7. While the casserole is in the oven, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
8. Crush Ritz crackers and place the crushed crumbs into a medium bowl. Add the melted butter and toss to coat. Reserve the coated crackers for later. 

9. After the casserole has been in the oven for 20 minutes, remove it and top the filling with crumbled Ritz crackers. 

10. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for 15 more minutes, until the Ritz cracker topping is golden brown.
11. Let the casserole cool for a few minutes on a wire rack before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Recipe Variations

Casseroles are ideal for customizing. Here are three suggestions for this recipe that you may want to play around with:

• Ritz Cracker Chicken Casserole With Vegetables. Replace some or all of the instant rice with a bag of thawed mixed vegetables or peas. Chop up any large pieces. 
• Ritz Cracker Chicken Broccoli Casserole. Replace some or all of the instant rice with chopped broccoli, 
• Cheesy Chicken Ritz Cracker Casserole, Swap out one of the cans of creamed soup for a can of cheese soup. 

What to Serve With Chicken and Rice Casserole With Ritz Crackers

Since this casserole already includes rice, choosing a low-carb side dish like a fresh salad, green beans, or a bowl of soup is a good idea. 

How to Store Chicken and Rice Casserole

Keep any leftovers in the casserole dish and cover it with plastic wrap or transfer them to an airtight container. Pop the dish in the refrigerator for up to three days.

If you want to freeze any leftovers, add a layer of aluminum foil on top of the plastic wrap. Keep the chicken casserole with Ritz crackers and rice in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. 

What Is the Best Way to Reheat This Casserole?

Heating leftover chicken and rice casserole with Ritz crackers on top is easiest in the oven:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Slice the casserole into serving portions and spread them out on the bottom of a new baking dish. Do not try to reheat the casserole in a cold baking dish. It will take longer to heat up, and the quick temperature change can crack the baking dish. 
3. Allow the casserole to sit out for about ten minutes to warm up a little before reheating. 
4. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Start checking if the casserole is hot enough after 20 minutes. 

Favorite Dinner Casseroles

• Broccoli Tater Tot Casserole with Beef
• Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole with Ham
• Chicken Dressing Casserole
• Chicken Noodle Casserole
• Creamy Tuna Casserole
• Dorito Casserole
• Hamburger Corn Casserole
• Mexican Tater Tot Casserole
• Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
• Shrimp Casserole

Popular Chicken Recipes

• Baked Chicken Parmesan
• Chicken Croquettes
• Cream Cheese Chicken

Check out more of my easy casserole recipes and the best chicken recipes on CopyKat!