Poppy Seed Chicken, from Good to Great

In case you were holding out, hoping that I was not one of those people that makes casseroles with cream of chicken soup and Ritz crackers on the top, then you have completely misjudged me.

Poppy seed chicken is one of my favorites. And though most all of you have a recipe for this dish, I will still share mine and offer a little advice on how to take this recipe which is GOOD and make it GREAT!

Ingredients:

1 Rotisserie chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups, plus some of sour cream
the juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon of poppy seeds
1 sleeve Ritz crackers
1/2 stick butter

Now, my first trick and tip is to use a ROTISSERIE CHICKEN (that you can get already cooked at most any grocery store). It is moist and has amazing flavor as opposed to boiled chicken breasts that can be sort of dry and flavorLESS.

Pull all meat off chicken, tear into bite size pieces, and place in bowl.


Next tip, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over the chicken. This gives it a nice fresh flavor.


Now add your cream of chicken soup, poppy seeds, and sour cream. I LOVE a lot of sour cream, at least 1 1/2 cups and sometimes a little more than that.


Now place chicken mixture in casserole dish.


Then get started on your Ritz crackers. Crush them up in a little sauce pan with 1/2 stick melted butter. When they are fully coated, pour over top of chicken mixture.


Cook in oven on 350 degrees for 30 minutes.


Serve over white rice.

An easy side for this meal is a simple green salad using GOOD lettuce with a little cut up tomato.

A light lemon vinaigrette makes a nice little dressing.


Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 clove garlic mince
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Shake well. Taste and add more salt as needed (or more veg. oil if too salty). Pour over lettuce.

It is a meal fit for a king (and Paula Dean).