Marry Me Chicken Casserole (Printer-friendly)

A creamy chicken bake with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and buttery cracker topping for a satisfying meal.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded or cubed (rotisserie or poached)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
03 - 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
04 - 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Dairy

06 - 1 cup heavy cream
07 - 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
08 - 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
09 - ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened

→ Pantry

11 - 1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
12 - ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
13 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
14 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
15 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

→ Topping

16 - 1½ cups Ritz cracker crumbs (about 1 sleeve, crushed)
17 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
18 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté diced onion for 3 minutes until softened, then add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
03 - Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and spinach to the skillet; cook until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat, stir in softened cream cheese until smooth and fully melted.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth, then add Italian herbs, red pepper flakes if using, kosher salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes to combine flavors.
06 - Stir in shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan until sauce is creamy and cheeses are melted.
07 - Fold in cooked chicken pieces, ensuring even coating with sauce. Remove from heat.
08 - Transfer mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
09 - Combine Ritz cracker crumbs with melted butter in a bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the casserole surface.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until hot, bubbly, and topping is golden brown.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like something you spent hours on, but the whole thing comes together in under an hour.
  • The buttery Ritz topping adds a salty crunch that makes every bite feel indulgent.
  • You can assemble it ahead and bake it later, so dinnertime is completely stress-free.
  • Leftovers actually get better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle in.
02 -
  • Don't skip softening the cream cheese; cold chunks won't melt smoothly and you'll end up with lumps in your sauce.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the chicken, because once it's mixed in, adjusting the seasoning gets harder.
  • If the topping browns too fast, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes so the inside can catch up.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and shred it while it's still warm; the meat stays tender and soaks up the sauce better.
  • Crush the Ritz crackers by hand in a zip-top bag so you get a mix of fine crumbs and a few larger pieces for extra texture.
  • If you love garlic, add an extra clove; the cream mellows it out so you can't really overdo it.
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