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Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Crispy cheddar chicken with a thick, shatteringly crisp cheddar-and-cracker crust baked until deeply browned. Cheesy baked chicken breasts stay juicy while the caramelized coating forms golden cheese shards at every bite.
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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: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and crust
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup sour cream For coating and helping the seasoning stick.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.1 salt To taste.
  • 0.1 pepper To taste.
  • 2 cup sharp cheddar cheese Finely shredded for best melt and browning.
  • 1 sleeve Ritz crackers Finely crushed.
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
Cream sauce
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
  • 0.5 cup sour cream For the sauce.
  • 0.25 fresh parsley For garnish.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 small saucepan

Method
 

Prep and coat the chicken
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the crust won’t stick. Keep the dish ready near your work area.
  2. Whisk together sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth. Coat each chicken breast completely so every surface is lightly covered.
Build the cheddar cracker crust
  1. Combine sharp cheddar, crushed Ritz crackers, and smoked paprika in a bowl. Press the mixture firmly over the sour cream-coated chicken on all sides so it adheres.
Bake
  1. Place coated chicken in the greased baking dish. Bake at 375°F for 28-32 minutes until the crust is golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Make sauce and serve
  1. Whisk cream of chicken soup with sour cream until smooth. Warm it in a small saucepan and drizzle around the chicken after baking.
  2. Garnish with fresh parsley right before serving. Finish with a quick drizzle of sauce from the pan so it shows clearly at the base.

Notes

Pro tip: press the cracker-cheddar crust firmly so it bonds to the sour cream layer; a thick, even coating browns into crisp, golden shards. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through (microwave softens the crust). Freezer: no, crust texture doesn’t hold up well after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free crackers in the same amount to keep the shatter-crisp effect.