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Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Crispy cheddar chicken with a thick cheddar-and-cracker crust that bakes golden and shatters into crisp cheese shards at every bite. Juicy chicken breasts are coated in seasoned sour cream, then topped with finely crushed Ritz and sharp cheddar for a cheesy baked chicken bake that’s ideal for an easy weeknight chicken dinner.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crispy cheddar chicken
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers, finely crushed
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
For the cream sauce
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish.
  2. Place the chicken breasts in the greased dish and set aside while you season.
Season and coat the chicken
  1. Whisk sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth, then coat each chicken breast completely.
  2. Combine shredded cheddar, crushed Ritz crackers, and smoked paprika, then press the mixture firmly over the sour cream-coated chicken on all sides so it adheres.
Bake until crisp
  1. Bake at 375°F for 28-32 minutes, until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  2. Let the chicken rest in the baking dish briefly so the cheddar crust sets before serving.
Make the cream sauce and serve
  1. Whisk cream of chicken soup with sour cream, then warm in a small saucepan until loose and pourable.
  2. Drizzle the cream sauce around the chicken and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For the crunchiest cheddar crust, press the cracker-cheddar mixture firmly so it bonds to the sour cream coating, and use finely shredded cheese for faster browning. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through to re-crisp the edges. Freezing is not recommended because the cracker crust softens after thawing. For a lower-fat option, use reduced-fat sour cream and light cream of chicken soup to keep the coating creamy while reducing calories.