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Crispy Cheddar Chicken

by Jamie
I have a simple dinner recipe for you today. Simple and easy and tasty and smile provoking…an all around treasure. 
I love it when smiles are provoked. Heck. I’ll take a smile from my kids even without provoking it! It’s just so much nicer when people smile instead of whine. 
 
Do you like whining?
Not a fan, myself. 
Speaking of my children…the other day we were watching a cooking show on The Food Network and one of my kids said…
“Hey Mom, you like to cook. 
Why don’t you be the cooker on that show?”
My response?
“I’m pretty sure The Food Network frowns upon cookers who use cream of chicken soup. I think I’m out.”
Especially since just last week three of the trial recipes I made for this little ol blog
crashed and burned in failure. I used real cream in all of them!
Cross your fingers that real cream and I can become friends soon. 
I hear from the good folks on The Food Network that it’s a mighty fine ingredient.
 
Now. Do I feel embarrassed about cooking with cream of chicken soup? Heavens no! I just bought three cases of it last month.
Should you feel embarrassed about cooking with
cream of chicken soup? 
 
Of course not! 
Are you the cooking she-rah for your family or what?
Do make food that provokes a smile?
Do your family members occasionally say things like…
“You are The Bomb, Mom. What ever you made with that trusty old cream of chicken soup is rocking my world.”
 
I thought so.
I knew you were great! 
We cream of chicken soup lovin’ ladies have to stick together.
 


Serve This With

Rice Pilaf with Almonds 
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Baked French Fries
Roasted Broccoli with Balsamic Glaze
Glazed Rosemary Carrots
Roasted Asparagus 

 Now, let me show you how to make this crispy chicken happen!
1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks. 
 
2. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers. 
 
 
3. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.
4. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk…
 
then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Some of it will fall off when you add it to the cracker crumbs, don’t worry about it.
 
 
Press the cheesy chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in. By the time you are coating the last piece of chicken, the dish you are using for the crumbs will be full of cheese. Don’t let it get you down. Once the cheese melts in the oven it will adhere nicely to the crumbs and the crackers.
 
5. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan. 
 
6. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken. 
7. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy. 
8. Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken. 
Enjoy!
The last
Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 7 servings

***Note: This recipe makes a great freezer meal. Assemble the chicken according to recipe instructions, but don't bake it. Cover your pan tightly with foil and freeze. When you are ready to use it let it thaw completely and then bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. It's best to make the sauce fresh, when you are ready to eat.

Ingredients

Chicken:
4 large chicken breasts
2 sleeves Ritz crackers
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1/2 C milk
3 C cheddar cheese, grated
1 t dried parsley
 
Sauce:
1   10 ounce can cream of chicken soup
2 T sour cream
2 T butter

Instructions

1. Cut each chicken breast into 3 large chunks.
2. In a small food processor grind up the ritz crackers.
3. Pour the milk, cheese and cracker crumbs into 3 separate small pans. Toss the 1/4 t salt and 1/8 t pepper into the cracker crumbs and stir the mixture around to combine.
4. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk then the cheese. Press the cheese into the chicken with your fingers. Some of it will fall off when you add it to the cracker crumbs, don't worry about it. Press the cheesy chicken into the cracker crumbs and press it in. By the time you are coating the last piece of chicken, the dish you are using for the crumbs will be full of cheese. Don't let it get you down. Once the cheese melts in the oven it will adhere nicely to the crumbs and the crackers.
5. Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and lay the chicken inside the pan.
6. Sprinkle the dried parsley over the chicken.
7. Cover the pan with tin foil and bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Remove the tin foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the edges of the chicken are golden brown and crispy.
8. Into a medium sized sauce pan combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and butter with a whisk. Stir it over medium high heat until the sauce is nice and hot. Serve over the chicken.
https://jamiecooksitup.net/2011/10/crispy-cheddar-chicken/
Recipe from adapted from What’s Cookin’ Chicago via Pinterest

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761 comments

Juanita September 1, 2012 - 2:04 am

I found this on Pinterest and finally made it tonight for three friends – we all really liked it! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

Reply
Casey September 1, 2012 - 3:33 am

I found this one on Pinterest and have been wanting to try it for a while. Tonight was the night. Cheese and chicken are usually right down our alley when it comes to dinner time, and this recipe really hit the spot.

I’m excited to share this one because it turned out just perfect for me, and I didn’t have to do anything to make her recipe better. I knew this recipe was going to be special when it smelled good before I even put it in the oven. It made me think of Red Lobster’s cheddar biscuits. It turned out just like she said it would, and it was done just when she said it would be. Every recipe seeker on the internet knows how rare that is! Hubby and I were so happy with it he told me to take a picture of it and post about it on my blog. 🙂

http://poorsouthernhousewife.blogspot.com/2012/08/crispy-cheddar-chicken.html

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denise September 2, 2012 - 2:03 am

why only 2 T of sour cream and butter? haha. i followed the recipe and it was really great! quick. ez. 3 cups was more than enough cheese and 2 sleeves was more than enough crackers – and i even used more than 4 chicken breasts! can’t wait for my kids to get home and try it! thnx! 🙂 oh and a big ziploc bag to squish the crackers worked as well as a food processor. and i cut off the top of the bag to just dip in the chicken. ez clean-up!

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Chelsey September 5, 2012 - 6:08 pm

I made the chicken for dinner tonight & it was excellent–kids & husband ate it up. Just realized I forgot the sauce, though! Will have to make again soon…

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Toni September 6, 2012 - 7:06 pm

Made this for dinner last night for our family of 6. What a hit! We fought over leftovers for dinner tonight and the fam usually HATES leftovers!!

Here were my personal observations:

-Cheese would not stick to drenched chicken. Added it to crackers (per another readers suggesting) & had a bit more success.
-Used Garden Herb Ritz I had on hand. LOVED the flavor! May add a tablespoon of dijon mustard to the drenching liquid next time for even more flavor.
-Gravy was a little thick and *I* thought it needed a bit more flavor. Tossed in a Western Family Turkey Gravy packet (I was out of chicken and in a hurry) & added milk to thin. OMGOSH! I may never make regular gravy again! Served over rice and even my non-rice-likers gobbled it up!

I know I tweaked it a bit, but like most moms, it was to use the ingredients on hand and appease the palettes of a picky family. THANK YOU SO MUCH for this great recipe! You saved dinner on a busy night when I’d normally just buy a cardboard pizza. It’s definitely being added to my no-brainer family favorite list!! My kids are even arguing over making this recipe on their next dinner nights….and that’s saying a LOT!!

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Alicia September 6, 2012 - 8:06 pm

Made this recipe tonight and my entire family loved it!!! My helpful tip is…..there is enough air in a Ritz cracker sleeve that you can crush the crackers right in the sleeve and when you’re done just dump them out. Works great and you don’t have any mess to clean up from crushing the crackers

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Tiffany Banks September 7, 2012 - 12:10 pm

I made this for dinner last month sometime & it was SO yummy .. so guess what!??! I am making it again for dinner tonight!! 🙂

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tracey September 7, 2012 - 6:29 pm

eating this at the moment. very good, moist chicken. as others have said it’s so nice that it baked the amount of time stated in recipe. didn’t have townhouse so i used one pack club crackers with 2 cups cheese. also, used egg white in milk & blended cheese with crumbs per suggestions/comments. i say the trick is patting the cheese/crumbs to help it stick. i had no problem if patting/squeezing. i’m not a fan of creamed soups & almost didn’t make the gravy but glad i did. i actually like it. thanks for the great recipe. we’ll have it often.

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Natalie September 8, 2012 - 4:02 pm

I made this and I wasn’t really wowed. I didn’t use the parsley flakes, so maybe that is why, also I don’t have a food processor so I had to use a blender. I will probably try the recipe again, but I would recommend dipping the chicken in the bread crumbs before the cheese.

Reply
Baked Cheddar Chicken - Or Whatever You Do September 9, 2012 - 7:24 pm

[…] close to hers, because they just do not compare! Make sure and check out the original post over at Jamie Cooks It Up when you get the […]

Reply
Erica September 15, 2012 - 4:38 pm

I love this recipe! Your side notes crack me up. I just wanted to add… Paula Deen is a cooker on the Food Network and she uses cream of whatever!

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Sarah September 17, 2012 - 3:08 pm

Would you suggest flipping the chicken breasts half way through so both sides are crispy?

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Alison September 17, 2012 - 4:16 pm

I really like this recipe! Definitely will be making it again. Simple and delicious. I used the sauce as gravy for mashed potatoes which was very good. The cheese and cracker crumbs stick better if you press a bit. Thanks for the recipe!

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JOAN September 17, 2012 - 5:01 pm

I just made this dish for supper…..wow we really liked it very much. However, I had to substitute cream of mushroom since it is all I had. We loved the dish, it probably will be just a great or better with cream of chicken…..

Thanks for the post….I am now following you on Pinterest…

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Tanisa September 20, 2012 - 3:23 pm

I made this about 2 weeks ago and my family loves it and it smell awesome while its baking!! So good making this again tonight!

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Starr J. September 21, 2012 - 6:09 pm

I made this tonight, which is a big deal for me because I DON’T cook. At all.

OMG, this was SO good! My husband loved it & we ate the whole pan!

I’m sure we’ll have it again soon. YUMM!

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Sydney September 24, 2012 - 9:42 am

Yummy.. Love it!

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Brandy September 25, 2012 - 3:49 pm

Thanks so much for this recipe. It has become a favorite at our house. My daughter is a very picky eater, but loves this chicken recipe. 🙂

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Jennifer September 26, 2012 - 3:29 pm

I put the cheese in the food processor with the crackers & ground them together. Then I dipped in flour, then milk, then the crackers/cheese mixture. It worked out very well.

Reply
Days of my Life (4) « all I ever wanted… September 26, 2012 - 10:13 pm

[…] Tried this recipe the other day because we had some chicken breasts left from a BBQ the night before. Didn’t […]

Reply
Chelsea September 27, 2012 - 6:05 am

Just made this last night for my mother and I, we loved it! I also made the home made baked french fries and the roasted broccoli with balsamic glaze, both of them very good as well. & when my hubby got home he couldn’t stop eating the french fries!

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Suzy October 5, 2012 - 4:59 pm

making this for the second time now since i discovered the recipe on pinterest a few weeks ago. i used chicken tenders and panko crumbs instead of ritz crackers (that’s what i had on hand the first time around). also, i placed my tenders in a large zip lock bag, covered them with buttermilk and let them hang out in the ‘fridge for a few hours before coating. my family LOVES this chicken! quick, easy and the sauce is absolutely delicious!! two thumbs up!!

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Shawn October 10, 2012 - 5:46 pm

I have made this many, many times as it has become my husbands favorite chicken dish. I, too, have to thin the sauce with milk and I add parsley, fresh cracked pepper and a little of Emeril’s Essence to the sauce. It comes out great every time. I no longer use Ritz crackers, as I have found that Panko breadcrumbs give me the crunchy coating I look for. For those who are having a hard time getting the cheese to stick, I highly suggest dipping the chicken chunks in egg instead of the milk. I would also highly suggest using fine shredded cheddar cheese. I have no problems getting the cheese to stick. Some of it comes off in the crumbs, but that’s to be expected. I just pat the crumbs on firmly and it comes out perfect every time. I even showed my oldest daughter last night how to make this meal and it was her first time trying it. She and he boyfriend loved it and couldn’t wait to take the leftovers to work with them today.
Very simple, quick and delicious meal! I serve it with Long Grain & Wild Rice and some fresh garlic bread!
Thanks for sharing this one, it’s a keeper!

Reply
Alexis October 15, 2012 - 4:52 pm

what does the little t and big T stand for?
which one is teaspoons and which is tablespoons?

ex:
1t dried parsley
2T butter

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Jamie October 16, 2012 - 6:32 am

Alexis,
The big T stands for tablespoon, the little t stands for teaspoon. Good luck! Hope you enjoy the recipe.
~Jamie

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Melinda October 15, 2012 - 7:53 pm

Just made this for dinner! It was amazing! The whole family loved it! Even my son who is very picky. I added a little garlic salt to the crackers and a little milk to the gravy. Other than that it was easy to make & cooked fast. Thanks for sharing this. it will be a family favorite! <3

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ALISON October 16, 2012 - 5:29 pm

I made this for supper tonight and the whole family loved it!!! Thank you SO much for the recipe. I doubled the sour cream and the butter in the chicken sauce. Also, the chicken sauce is great over some opened biscuites. 🙂

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ashleyr October 16, 2012 - 6:26 pm

is it best with mild cheddar or are we talking sharp cheddar?

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Sara October 16, 2012 - 8:07 pm

I made this tonight, but I put an egg in the milk to help it stick. And I also used wheat Ritz.
I used the extra crumb/cheese remains to coat cubed potatoes and fry them, and I served it all over white rice with the gravy/sauce. My Fiance, roommate, and best friend all loved it. My neighbor even stole a plate for herself!
I added some seasonings to the cracker crumbs, and pepper to the gravy. I’m definitely putting this one in my recipe book

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Sarah October 18, 2012 - 2:25 pm

Ok, this looks so yummy. A friend of mine just lost her husband in a terrible car accident. I am looking for some meals to put together for her and this looks like a possibility. My only question is could I prepare it all and then freeze it and she could thaw and cook at a later time. I have bought frozen prepared chicken such as chicken kiev etc. at the grocery stores before but thought making it myself would be more special and taste far better.

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Jamie October 19, 2012 - 9:09 am

Sarah,
You are such a kind friend! This recipe works well as a freezer meal. I published a post a while back about freezer meals you might find usefull. Here is a link.
https://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/03/35-freezer-safe-recipes/
Good luck!
~Jamie

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Amanda October 19, 2012 - 2:22 pm

Just found your recipe on Pinterest and made it for my husband and children tonight. I also added your Zucchini (sp? – Courgettes here!) Fries and some broccoli and carrots to it – it went down a treat! My husband said it was the best chicken he’s ever tasted! Thank you! X

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Mandy October 19, 2012 - 7:45 pm

This recipe is by far my favorite that I found in Pinterest. My husband who is extremely picky loves it as well, he actually wanted me to make it twice in one week! It’s easy and delicious. I did add an egg to the milk and garlic powder to the gravy. Delicious!

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kei miranda October 20, 2012 - 10:56 pm

can i fry the chicken instead of baking?

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Michelle Loper October 21, 2012 - 4:09 pm

my daughter said, ‘make this every nite!’

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kat October 25, 2012 - 12:24 pm

Great!! So yummy. Thanks for sharing this wonderful chicken! Question, what site do you use to create your website?

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sarina October 25, 2012 - 5:08 pm

This came out soo good…I will be adding this to my all the time menu.. Family loved it.

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stef October 29, 2012 - 11:34 am

lol tin foil

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Mary Jane October 30, 2012 - 11:14 pm

I made this for dinner this evening. It was fantastic! The hubs didn’t like the gravy, but loved the chicken alone. Me on the other hand LOVED every bit of this recipe! I’ve never used ritz as a breading before, but it was great. We will defiantly be having this again. Thanks for the recipe!

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Jenn November 4, 2012 - 2:41 pm

I’m planning in making this tonight but I’m out of Sour Cream for the gravy any suggestions on what else I can use ?

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Erin November 4, 2012 - 6:53 pm

I made this tonight and it was delicious. I used eggs instead of milk and mixed the cheese and crackers together. I also added a clove of garlic, white wine, and a little milk to the sauce. So glad I tried this recipe! It will definitely be added to our regular rotation.

Reply
Jenny November 5, 2012 - 4:30 pm

We love this chicken! I have made it 3 times in the last 2 weeks!!!!

Reply
Crispy Cheddar Chicken « The Fruitful Wife November 7, 2012 - 7:24 am

[…] Him in song.” -Psalm 28:7 Crispy Chicken Chicken Yields 7 servings; Recipe adapted from Jamiecooksitup Ingredients: CHICKEN 4 large chicken breasts 2 sleeves Ritz crackers 1/4 teaspoon  salt 1/8 […]

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Dinner Monday night November 12, 2012 - 3:37 pm

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Lacey November 13, 2012 - 9:59 am

Hey!! Does this recipe taste sour creamy!?? My husband doesn’t like sour cream but I didn’t know how much u can taste it?

Reply
Jamie November 14, 2012 - 8:30 am

Lacey,
You can leave out the sour cream in the gravy. Just add about 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice and you’ll be good to go. 🙂
~Jamie

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nelli013 November 16, 2012 - 3:45 pm

I made this tonight for my husband and he loved it. I had to use smashed rod pretzels, since I didn’t have any ritz crackers 🙁 But it turned out wonderful ! I too I had use cream of mushroom since I did not have cream of chicken. I also made egg noodles to go with the gravy. My husband said it is a keeper. Now I cannot wait to make it with ritz crackers.

Reply
Cindy November 17, 2012 - 5:52 pm

Okay, first let me say that I am a true southern girl and chicken is best served fried….that is until now. I made this for my family tonight with mashed potatoes, peas and carrots and hot rolls. I used chicken tenders instead of the whole breasts and only had to bake them 30 minutes. This is THE BEST chicken recipe I have ever tried and it will be a staple in my home. My husband doesn’t like chicken and cringes at the mention of it. I had his plate ready when he got home tonight and didn’t tell him what it was. He ate it and even went back for seconds! I couldn’t believe it. He said it was delicious and said he wants to have it again. It is incredibly easy to make and is still fancy enough to make for guests or Sunday dinner if you want. Also, I have never been a fan of using cream of chicken soup for a sauce or gravy, but I must say that this is absolutely delicious and just the right touch with the chicken. This will be a hit with everyone. On a scale of 1 to 10, this gets a 12!

Reply
Suzie Herring November 19, 2012 - 7:11 am

I am always looking for new ways to prepare boned chicken breasts. I am going to try this Crispy Cheddar Chicken tonight. I think I will serve it with wild rice pilaf and some steamed asparagus. I love this site–can’t wait to share my recipes and try yours.

Reply
Robert Edwards November 26, 2012 - 2:34 pm

I just wanted to take the time to thank jamie for this amazing dish. I made this last night for myself and my parents and they raved about it. It’s savory and moist, and such a wonderful comfort food dish. I’m glad I found this recipe on Pinterest! Jamie, you rock. Now I have to make everything else you have on your blog. Keep up the good work. (Also, I made this recipe exactly as described. It drives me crazy when people make alterations and then critique the recipe.)

Reply
Karen Baugher November 26, 2012 - 7:34 pm

Made this tonight and it was delicious! Thank you for sharing it. I will definitely make this again!

Reply
Melinda December 6, 2012 - 6:28 pm

I make more recipes off your blog than any other ive came across! you have the best ideas! this will be my third time making this chicken! My husband LOVES this! Simply amazing!

Reply
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