Poppy Seed Chicken is a simple casserole dish that is perfect for cold winter nights at home. It's freezer-friendly and has been lightened up in this satisfying version of a comfort food classic.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best poppy seed chicken, freezer-friendly poppy seed chicken, homemade condensed cream of mushroom soup
Servings: 6servings
Calories: 498kcal
Ingredients
For the condensed cream of mushroom soup (recipe slightly adapted from Gimme Some Oven):
3tablespoonsunsalted butter, melted (I sometimes use Earth Balance vegan butter spread for this)
1 ½tablespoonspoppy seeds
Instructions
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a shallow 2 quart baking dish or 6 (8 ounce) ramekins with cooking spray. Set aside.
For the condensed cream of mushroom soup:
Add the stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. While the stock is heating, whisk the milk and flour together in a small bowl. Once the stock comes to a boil, slowly whisk the flour and milk mixture in while pouring in a steady stream. Whisk in the mushrooms and seasonings. Reduce heat to a low boil and cook, stirring continuously, for about 3 minutes for the mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes before adding to the recipe or chill until ready to use (you can store in the refrigerator up to 1 week).
For the poppy seed chicken:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a shallow 2 quart baking dish or 6 (8 ounce) ramekins with cooking spray.
Combine chicken, sour cream, mushroom soup, and Dijon mustard in a large bowl. Stir until well incorporated. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish(es).
Add the melted butter to crushed crackers and stir to combine. Evenly sprinkle this mixture over the top of baking dish. Sprinkle poppy seeds evenly on top of cracker mixture.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until the casserole is golden brown and bubbly.
Notes
**Cooked chicken can easily be shredded in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Simply place the chicken breasts in the mixer bowl and turn it on low for 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.To make this casserole for the freezer, simply assemble according to directions but leave off the cracker crumbs and poppy seeds until you are ready to bake. Thaw in the fridge overnight before topping and making as directed.Sometimes I make this with a rotisserie chicken, which doesn't seem to yield a full 5 cups of chicken, Simple use the chicken from a whole roasted chicken and reduce the sour cream to 8 ounces and only use one can of mushroom soup. You want the chicken mixture to resemble that of chicken salad before you bake it so it doesn't turn out soupy.