Marry Me Chicken Casserole (Printable)

Creamy chicken baked with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, and a buttery Ritz cracker topping.

# What You'll 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 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 4 oz cream cheese, softened

→ Pantry

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

→ Topping

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

# Method:

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 garlic and cook for 1 additional minute.
03 - Add sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach to skillet; cook until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat and stir in softened cream cheese until melted and smooth.
05 - Pour in heavy cream and chicken broth. Stir in dried Italian herbs, crushed red pepper flakes if using, kosher salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
06 - Stir shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan into sauce until fully melted and creamy.
07 - Add cooked chicken to skillet and mix to coat evenly with sauce. Remove from heat.
08 - Spread chicken mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
09 - In a mixing bowl, combine Ritz cracker crumbs with melted unsalted butter. Sprinkle topping evenly over the casserole.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until casserole is hot, bubbly, and topping is golden brown.
11 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like restaurant-quality comfort food but comes together faster than delivery arrives.
  • The Ritz topping adds this nostalgic, buttery crunch that makes people ask for seconds without fail.
  • You can assemble it hours ahead and bake when guests are about to arrive.
02 -
  • The cream cheese needs to be softened or it'll clump instead of melting—take it out 30 minutes before cooking, not 5.
  • Don't skip letting the sauce simmer for those 2 minutes after you add the liquids, or the flavors won't have time to get acquainted.
  • The Ritz topping will only stay crispy if you serve it the day you make it, so timing is everything for that textural contrast.
03 -
  • Use quality cheese that you shred yourself instead of pre-shredded—it melts infinitely smoother because it doesn't have the anti-caking powder.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, this recipe doubles perfectly in a 9x13 dish with just 5 extra minutes of baking time, so don't hesitate to make more.
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