Marry Me Chicken Casserole (Printable view)

Comforting casserole featuring tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and a creamy, cheesy sauce with a crispy topping.

# 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 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
10 - 4 ounces 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, for garnish)

# How To Make:

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. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
03 - Add chopped sun-dried tomatoes and baby spinach to the skillet. Cook until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes.
04 - Reduce heat to low. 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 for 2 minutes.
06 - Add shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan cheeses. Stir gently until fully melted and the sauce is creamy.
07 - Fold cooked chicken into the sauce until evenly coated. Remove from heat.
08 - Transfer the chicken mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
09 - In a small bowl, combine Ritz cracker crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the casserole.
10 - Bake uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes until the casserole is hot, bubbly, and the topping is golden brown.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's a make-ahead dream that sits beautifully in the fridge until you're ready to bake, perfect for when you want to look effortless while actually being prepared.
  • The Ritz topping gives you that nostalgic crunch without requiring you to actually make anything complicated.
  • People always ask for the recipe because it tastes far more restaurant-quality than the effort you actually put in deserves.
02 -
  • Don't use pre-shredded cheese if you can avoid it because it has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting smoothly, and you'll end up with a grainy sauce instead of a silky one.
  • If your cream cheese sits cold straight from the fridge, it won't blend in smoothly no matter how much you stir. Let it sit on the counter for a few minutes first and your sauce will actually cooperate.
  • Drain your sun-dried tomatoes really well or your sauce becomes an oily situation that's less delicious and more slick than intended.
03 -
  • You can assemble this entirely the night before, cover it tightly, and bake it straight from the fridge the next day, though you might need to add five extra minutes to your baking time.
  • If your topping starts browning too fast before the casserole is bubbling underneath, loosely tent it with foil for the last ten minutes and remove it at the end to re-crisp the top.
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