This Microwave Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers is the ultimate comfort food. It’s cheesy and creamy and just hits the spot when you want some comfort food. Plus, it reheats beautifully, so you can make lunch or dinner for the whole week with one dish.
I have made it probably a million times both in the oven and in the microwave. I taught my daughter, who is currently in college, how to make it, and it’s one of her go to recipes for making a meal up ahead of time. She makes it for dinner and then divides up the rest for a few lunches or dinners throughout the week.
If you aren’t careful, you’ll end up eating the whole thing in one day, or you can get about 4-6 meals from this one casserole. This casserole is perfect to take to lunch and heat up in the microwave at school or work.
The thing I like about this microwave chicken casserole is that it’s so simple and quick to put together. You can literally make the entire thing in the casserole dish — just one dirty dish!
Table of Contents
The BEST Microwave Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers
While the orzo pasta is cooking in the microwave, I prepare the chicken. Sometimes I’ll use leftover rotisserie chicken and eyeball it to be about a cup or 1 1/2 cups. If I don’t have any fresh chicken, I’ll use a big can of chicken, tuna, or turkey.
I don’t like the smell from canned chicken, so I drain it and rinse it in cold water in a colander until I can’t smell that strong chicken or tuna smell. One can about 12.5 oz is perfect for this dish.
Then, I pour a can of cream of chicken soup on top of the chicken. Next, I fill the empty can of soup about halfway with milk and pour that over the casserole. Then, I top it in shredded sharp cheddar cheese. We like the zing from the cheddar, but you can use any cheese like swiss or mozzarella.
Lastly, I melt some butter and crush up some ritz crackers and mix together. You can use saltines or any other crackers for this, but I like the buttery-ness of Ritzs. Just sprinkle it over the top.
Since everything is already cooked in this casserole, it’s just a matter of melting it all together. I like to cook it until it’s bubbly on the sides, which is about 5 minutes in the microwave.
The BEST Microwave Chicken Casserole witih Ritz Crackers
This microwave comfort chicken casserole is the perfect thing to drown your sorrows in. It's creamy and cheesy and just tastes so good.
Ingredients
- 8 oz orzo pasta
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- dash of salt
- 1 can cream of chicken
- 1/2 can of milk or half and half
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded chicken or 1 12.5 oz can of chicken, drained ( substitute turkey or tuna)
- 1/2 stick of butter, melted
- 8-10 Ritz crackers, crushed
Instructions
- In an 8 x 8 casserole combine water, orzo pasta, salt, and olive oil.
- Cook for 6 minutes in the microwave. Then, stir.
- Cook for an additional 3 minutes in the microwave.
- If there is any excess water, drain.
- Add the cream of chicken to the pasta and then refill half the can with milk or half and half and add to the pasta.
- Add the cheddar cheese and shredded chicken.
- Mix it all up and smooth it out in the dish.
- Melt the butter and add the crushed crackers.
- Spread the cracker mixture over the top of the casserole.
- Cook for 5 minutes in the microwave uncovered.
- Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes and then serve.
Notes
If using canned chicken, drain and rinse under water before adding to the casserole.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 616Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 790mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 41g
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