Description
Cheesy baked chicken delivers a mouthwatering blend of crispy coating and melted cheese. Homemade comfort satisfies dinner cravings with golden-brown perfection that brings families together around the table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Coating Ingredients:
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) milk
- 1 large egg
- Salt, to taste
- Garlic pepper, to taste
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 can (10 ounces/284 grams) cream of chicken soup
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) milk
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and coat a baking pan with nonstick spray to ensure easy release of the chicken.
- Create three separate coating stations: one with whisked egg and milk mixture, another with finely crushed Ritz crackers, and the third with shredded cheddar cheese.
- Generously season chicken breasts with salt and garlic pepper, ensuring even coverage on all sides.
- Dunk each chicken piece into the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off, then press shredded cheese directly onto the surface.
- Carefully roll the cheese-covered chicken in crushed Ritz crackers, pressing gently to create a uniform, crispy exterior coating.
- Arrange the breaded chicken on the prepared baking pan, maintaining space between each piece for even cooking.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the coating turns golden brown and crispy.
- While chicken bakes, prepare the accompanying sauce by melting butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and milk into the melted butter, stirring continuously until the sauce is smooth and heated through.
- Remove chicken from oven and let rest for 3-5 minutes before serving with the warm, creamy sauce.
Notes
- Customize Cracker Coating Experiment with different types of crackers like panko, saltines, or even crushed cornflakes to add unique textures and flavors to the chicken’s crispy exterior.
- Cheese Variation Mix different cheeses like parmesan, mozzarella, or Swiss to create a more complex and rich cheese coating that complements the chicken’s crispy crust.
- Make It Healthier Swap full-fat ingredients with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, use whole wheat crackers, and opt for low-sodium cream of chicken soup to reduce calories and increase nutritional value.
- Gluten-Free Adaptation Replace Ritz crackers with gluten-free crackers or crushed gluten-free breadcrumbs to make the recipe suitable for those with gluten sensitivities.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1000mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 150mg