This Ritz rooster casserole recipe turns my favourite snacking crackers into essentially the most scrumptious, crunchy, buttery casserole topping. The creamy filling is filled with juicy shredded rooster, bacon, and cheese, and it’s scorching from the oven in underneath an hour. Ideally suited for weeknights!
Each time I want to make use of up leftover rooster, I make a casserole. Recipes like this Ritz cracker rooster casserole, my tacky rooster and broccoli casserole, and Tex-Mex King Ranch rooster casserole have it lined!
Of us, at this time’s recipe is a consolation meals residence run. This Ritz rooster casserole is reassuring for thus many causes, however primarily, 1) it’s wealthy, creamy, tacky, and filled with juicy rooster and bacon, and, 2) it wants a handful of elements I already had within the pantry. No journeys to the shop = consolation, should you ask me. I additionally had some inexperienced beans within the crisper drawer, too, so I steamed these whereas this rooster casserole baked up all bubbly beneath a layer of buttery Ritz crackers. Dinner was prepared in 40 minutes, and we scraped our plates CLEAN.
Causes to Love This Ritz Cracker Rooster Casserole
- 10 minutes to prep. This recipe makes use of a simple, no-cook sauce that will get tossed with rooster, layered underneath crispy Ritz crackers, and baked. It takes all of 10 minutes to arrange and you allow the remaining to your oven.
- Crunchy cracker topping. I borrowed the traditional Ritz cracker crumb topping from my tacky potatoes to make this rooster casserole. One among my finest concepts but!
- Additional flavorful. This Ritz rooster casserole has loads of creamy texture and scrumptious taste due to elements like cream of mushroom soup, bitter cream, salty bacon, and tender rooster. I throw in a number of handfuls of shredded cheese, too. It jogs my memory loads of my creamy crack rooster recipe, which is all the time a great factor.
- Excellent for weeknights. Any recipe that takes lower than an hour has my weeknight stamp of approval. This rooster and Ritz cracker casserole is foolproof, even should you’re simply beginning out within the kitchen. You’re going to find it irresistible.
Recipe Elements
You’ll be able to rely the elements for this casserole on lower than two arms. It’s very fridge and pantry-friendly, and I’ve included some notes right here to get you off on the correct foot. Scroll right down to the recipe card after the submit for the printable recipe with the total elements record and directions.
- Bacon – Any kind of bacon works, whether or not it’s streaky, again bacon, turkey bacon, smoked, and many others. You’ll cook dinner the bacon in a skillet or utilizing your required methodology. You may also substitute cooked and diced ham or pancetta.
- Cream of Mushroom Soup – Canned condensed mushroom soup, or you should use selfmade. Cream of rooster soup additionally works on this recipe.
- Parsley – I exploit dried parsley. When you’re utilizing recent herbs, you’ll want about 1 tablespoon of recent herbs per 1 teaspoon dried.
- Bitter Cream – This may be full-fat or low-fat bitter cream. Plain or Greek yogurt makes a great substitute.
- Rooster – Cooked and shredded. Leftover rotisserie rooster works nice right here, or you should use any cooked rooster you’ve got readily available. Or, you’ll be able to shortly boil rooster and shred it.
- Shredded Cheese – I exploit cheddar, however any melty cheese goes nicely on this recipe. Strive Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack (should you prefer it spicy), Gouda, Mozzarella, Gruyere, or a mixture of shredded cheese. Grate the cheese recent from the block in order that it melts easily.
- Ritz Crackers – Crushed up for the topping, plus a number of complete crackers for garnish. Be happy to make use of name-brand or store-brand. When you don’t have Ritz crackers, you’ll be able to nonetheless make this rooster casserole with one other topping, see beneath.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
What Can I Use As a substitute of Ritz Crackers?
It may not technically be a Ritz rooster casserole, however this recipe nonetheless seems scrumptious with one other crunchy topping. Good choices are panko crumbs, crushed cheese crackers, cornflakes, crushed potato chips, or a favourite stuffing combine, just like the cornbread stuffing I exploit to high my rooster stuffing casserole.
The way to Make Ritz Rooster Casserole
I like that this recipe is tremendous fast to prep. I can whip collectively a fast salad, a aspect of fries, or roast veggies within the air fryer whereas the casserole bakes within the oven. Dinner is on the desk in underneath an hour (my purpose on most weeknights), and everybody licks their plates clear. The steps are fast and easy. Keep in mind to scroll for serving solutions!
- Cook dinner the bacon. First, cook dinner up a batch of crispy bacon on the stovetop or air fryer. Crumble it up afterward.
- Mix the elements. In the meantime, add the cream of mushroom soup, bitter cream, and parsley to a big bowl. Stir within the bacon, shredded rooster, and shredded cheese, together with salt and pepper to style.
- Fill the pan. Add the rooster casserole filling into an oiled 9” baking dish.
- Make the topping. Subsequent, frivolously toast the Ritz cracker crumbs in a skillet with melted butter to make the topping. Unfold the cracker crumbs evenly over the rooster filling.
- Bake. Bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes till it’s scorching and bubbly. Afterward, let the casserole relaxation for 10 minutes to arrange a bit for serving, and dig in!
Simple Variations
This Ritz rooster casserole is wealthy and creamy but gentle, which makes it nice for households (particularly children). Together with a beneficiant seasoning of salt and pepper, nevertheless, there are a number of straightforward methods to alter up the elements and amp up the flavour on this rooster casserole. Listed here are some I’d recommend:
- Swap rooster for turkey. I truly love making this Ritz cracker casserole with shredded leftover turkey within the days after a vacation, like Thanksgiving or Christmas.
- Herbs. Along with dried parsley, you’ll be able to season the casserole with dried basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, or a mix like Herbes de Provence.
- Spices. Add in candy or smoked paprika, garlic powder, or onion powder.
- Seasoning blends. Add a little bit Italian seasoning or rooster seasoning for further taste. When you like spice, strive my Jamaican jerk seasoning for a little bit one thing totally different.
- Add-ins. Swap common bacon for smoked bacon to present the casserole a extra distinctive taste. You might additionally substitute spicy Italian sausage or chorizo.
- Veggies. Add pre-cooked greens like broccoli, carrots, celery, or onion. Strive a frozen vegetable medley for some rooster pot pie vibes.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Retailer leftover rooster casserole hermetic within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
- Reheat. I wish to reheat this casserole within the oven, both complete or in parts, to crisp up the topping once more. Use an oven-proof dish and canopy the casserole with foil earlier than warming it at 350ºF for 15-20 minutes.
- Freeze. You’ll be able to freeze the cooled casserole for as much as 3 months. Thaw it within the fridge earlier than you reheat it.
Extra Rooster Casserole Recipes
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Cook dinner the bacon. Warmth a splash of oil in a big skillet. Add bacon slices and cook dinner till crispy. Take away the bacon and place it on paper towels. Crumble the bacon and put aside.
Combine the casserole elements. In a big bowl, mix cream of mushroom soup, parsley, and bitter cream. Stir within the cooked shredded rooster, bacon, and cheddar cheese. Season to style with salt and pepper.
Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and gently coat a 9-inch baking dish with some olive oil.
Fill the pan. Add the ready rooster combination to the ready baking dish.
Make the topping. Soften the butter in a saucepan over medium warmth. Add within the cracker crumbs and stir to mix. Take away from warmth and unfold the cracker topping over the casserole.
Bake. Bake the casserole for 25 minutes.
Serve. Take away it from the oven and funky the rooster casserole for 10 minutes earlier than serving.
- Soup choices. You should utilize cream of mushrooms or cream of rooster soup for this recipe.
- Cheese selections. As a substitute of cheddar cheese, substitute any kind of cheese you’d desire.
- Bacon. I like to recommend plain bacon or a smoked model. The smoked bacon offers a novel taste to the dish.
Serving: 1.25cups | Energy: 561kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 27g | Fats: 42g | Saturated Fats: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 6g | Monounsaturated Fats: 13g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 878mg | Potassium: 353mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 2mg
Dietary data is an estimate and supplied as courtesy. Values could range in accordance with the elements and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
