3-Ingredient Ritz Cracker Chicken
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This deliciously easy Ritz cracker chicken recipe is a favorite in our house. I mean, what’s not to love about tender chicken breast with a crunchy Ritz cracker coating, right? You can make it lickety-split in the oven and it has only three ingredients!
Even though we have countless chicken recipes, I’m always looking to throw something new into the mix. So a few weeks ago I decided to oven fry some chicken with crushed Ritz crackers as the breading because who doesn’t love a Ritz cracker? In fact, I never buy them because they are just too good and I can’t be left alone in the house with them.
Now, I wanted a wet layer that added tenderness to the meat, kept the cracker crumbs in place, and enhanced the flavor. Instead of the usual egg and butter, I decided to go with sour cream and it did not disappoint. It’s so much creamier and makes the chicken more tender, so it’s a win-win in my books! This is a simple three-ingredient recipe (one being chicken breast) and has already made it on the menu twice since I tried it out the first time. I think your people will love it, too.
This Ritz cracker chicken recipe is about as easy as it comes. All we’re going to do is pat dry our chicken breast and then coat both sides in sour cream and Ritz cracker crumbs. That’s it! Then we just have to patiently wait for them to bake in the oven before serving. Yep, there’s no deep frying or oil involved. There’s just something about the combination of the crunchy salty Ritz cracker coating and the tender and moist chicken that makes me happy. You can serve your Ritz cracker chicken however you like. I’ve included plenty of options below.
Alright, who’s ready to make some Ritz cracker chicken?
Recipe Ingredients
- Sour cream
- Ritz crackers (I use one sleeve for three pretty good-sized chicken breasts)
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
How To Make Ritz Cracker Chicken
First, crush the crackers and pour them into a shallow dish. Then spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set it aside before preheating the oven to 350 degrees.
Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
Place sour cream in a shallow dish or plate and roll in the sour cream mixture. You’ll be surprised at how well it coats!
Roll each chicken breast in cracker crumbs.
Place on the prepared baking sheet and put in the oven.
Bake for 30 minutes, flip, and then bake for 20 to 30 minutes more until golden brown.
If you’d like them a little browner you can give them a quick light spray of cooking spray (it just takes a tiny bit).
My Ritz cracker chicken recipe is a quick, easy, and simple meal for us so I just serve it with green beans.
I usually have some fresh green beans in the freezer or I use the recipe for last-minute green beans.
Storage
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For best results, quickly reheat in the oven or the air fryer.
- You can also freeze the baked chicken for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating as above.
Recipe Notes
- Instead of chicken breasts, use chicken thighs or chicken tenders instead to make Ritz cracker chicken tenders.
- Want to add some extra flavor? Add a teaspoon of any of these seasonings: ground black pepper, onion powder, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, or 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or paprika.
- Instead of Ritz crackers, you can use breadcrumbs, crushed corn flakes, or crushed potato chips.
- For cheesy Ritz cracker chicken, add some shredded cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, or mozzarella cheese a few minutes before they’ve finished baking.
- An easy substitution for the sour cream is mayonnaise.
Recipe FAQs
Can I cook Ritz cracker chicken in the air fryer?
Yes, you can cook your chicken in the air fryer. At the same temperature, the cooking time will decrease to 10 to 15 minutes on each side.
What do you serve with Ritz cracker chicken?
You can serve your Ritz chicken with basically anything:
- A side salad, like German potato salad, summer corn salad, or broccoli salad.
- Mashed potatoes, fried potatoes, roasted sweet potato wedges, baked zucchini fries, or parmesan oven fries.
- Your favorite noodles, a side of rice or quinoa, or pasta salad.
- Frozen mixed vegetables, roasted vegetables, zucchini and squash, or collard greens.
You may also like these chicken recipes:
Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast
Blackened Chicken Recipe With a Delicious Crunchy Coating
Ingredients
- 1 cup regular sour cream
- 1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
- 3-4 chicken breasts
Instructions
- Crush crackers and pour them into a shallow bowl. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set it aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
- Place sour cream in a shallow bowl or plate. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and roll in the sour cream mixture. You'll be surprised at how well it coats!1 cup regular sour cream, 3-4 chicken breasts
- Roll each chicken breast in the cracker crumbs.
- Place on the prepared baking sheet and put them in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, flip, and bake for 20-30 minutes more or until golden brown.
Hey Christy,
Love you and all you do. I can’t be left alone with almost any kind of Little Debbie cakes. But honey buns are lethal. When this old woman started buying them they were 49 cents a box.
I miss y’all. Congratulations to Brady!
Love, Patsy McGough
Hey Patsy!! Thank you so much, miss you as well!!
I mix honey with lil mayo and mustard dip chicken or porkchops in mixture than use cracker or bread crumbs..so delish and very tender. I put mine on foil that has been sprayed for easy cleanup
Great idea Ramona, thank you so much for sharing your tips!!
Thanks for the recipe, Christy – it sounds delicious! I can’t buy the Wal-Mart brand cheetos or Lay’s Potato Chips. Both are so addicting!!
As they say, you can’t eat just one
I can’t bring Ritz crackers in the house! Lol! I could eat a whole sleeve by myself. I only buy Ritz crackers if I need them for a recipe. If I have leftover crackers, I make pimento cheese and take it to work (along with Ritz) or I give it to my husband, and he takes it to his office.
Your chicken recipe looks wonderful!
Thank you Gina, I hope you get the chance to try it soon!!
For us, it’s the Wal-Mart brand of (Girl Scout) Tagalongs! We love them much better than the real thing and they’re cheap too. But that’s a dangerous combination. They’re even better after being in the fridge a day or two.
I haven’t tried those, thinking maybe I shouldn’t
I saw those the last time I was at Walmart! My family’s already addicted to the Walmart Samoas and Thin Mints! They also have their own kind of pecan sandies which taste as good as the main brand! I wonder if Walmart has a version of Do-si-dos or Trefoils?
This looks delicious – I love anything with a Ritz cracker. It’s potato chips and popcorn that are not welcome here. I can’t stop!
I hope you get the opportunity to try it soon Katie!!!
I’m a sucker for some of that queso cheese in a jar. Once the jar is opened it’s like a fight to the death to see who goes first-the tortilla chips or the cheese? It’s always the cheese, I don’t know why I even bother with the tortilla chips! I only use the chips because of the looks I’d get walking around my house with a straw in the queso jar like it was a cocktail. Maybe if I added a paper umbrella….?
LOL, I think that is a grand idea!