The same chicken recipes made over and over again can get a little boring. But not with this crispy Ritz cracker chicken! It has the best crunchy breading and a wonderfully tender and flavorful chicken breast on the inside. What’s not to love?
What is Ritz Cracker Chicken?
Essentially Ritz cracker chicken is breaded chicken breast that is baked in the oven until it is wonderfully crisp and tender.
The kicker is that this recipe uses Ritz crackers for the breading rather than just plain bread crumbs. It’s why it is called Ritz cracker chicken.
Try it out, even my pickiest eater will devour this recipe!
What is in Ritz Cracker Chicken?
It is similar to your traditional breaded chicken recipe, but the main difference is that you use crushed Ritz crackers in place of either plain bread crumbs or Italian bread crumbs.
Ritz Cracker Baked Chicken Ingredients
You will find most things in this recipe you will have or probably used for another breaded chicken recipe. So there is nothing too crazy or hard to find in the grocery store to make this tender chicken breast recipe.
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Boneless skinless chicken breast
- Ritz crackers
- Salt
- Paprika
- Ground black pepper
- Egg
- Milk
- Butter
Can I Only Use Ritz Crackers?
Nope! While the name of this recipe is Ritz cracker chicken you can use a different type of cracker. If you are gluten-free you might try substituting it with one of your favorite gluten-free butter crackers.
Or if you simply do not have any Ritz crackers on hand, you can also substitute for Cheez-It cheese crackers or something of a similar texture.
Ritz crackers are ideal because while they are a cracker, they are a softer version of a cracker. The softness of the Ritz is what makes it so wonderful as a breading for the chicken strips.
The cracker crumbs will absorb some of the beaten egg and milk mixture, which is what gives you that glorious crispy breading once baked.
Plus they also have that wonderful buttery taste which adds another depth of flavor as well.
Other Variations of Ritz Cracker Chicken
If you really want to add another level of flavor, you can use buttermilk instead of plain whole milk. And if you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge, it is actually super simple to make.
It only takes about 5 minutes to make and as long as you have milk and lemon juice you are good to go. Learn how to make buttermilk.
How to Make Ritz Cracker Chicken
- Place the Ritz cracker crumbs, salt, paprika, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Place the egg and the milk in a separate bowl and whisk to combine.
- Dip the chicken strips in the milk/egg mixture, and then in the cracker mixture.
- Place the coated chicken in a greased baking dish. Drizzle melted butter on top.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Ways to Use Leftover Ritz Cracker Chicken
There are many ways to make the best of your leftovers. Here are a few suggestions:
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and put them on a mixed green salad with more of your favorite toppings.
- Make a wrap using burrito shells filled with a couple of chicken strips, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.
- Make a sandwich with Texas Toast. Add cheese and a tasty spread like barbecue sauce, buffalo sauce, or ranch dressing.
- Use it in Chicken Spaghetti Bake to transform it into a unique Ritz cracker chicken casserole.
How to Store Leftover Ritz Cracker Chicken Strips
Make sure these chicken strips are sealed well in an airtight container in the fridge. If not, they will absorb the moisture from the fridge and become soggy.
You can also place them in a freezer-safe bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How Long Can I Store Chicken with Ritz Crackers?
As long as they are stored properly, they will keep refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can store them frozen for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat Ritz Crackers Baked Chicken
There are 3 ways to reheat this crispy baked chicken.
- In the oven at 350 degrees until the chicken is heated all the way through. Though you might get a little bit of a dryer piece of chicken.
- In an air fryer at 400 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes or until they are fully reheated. This is my favorite way to reheat them.
- In the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute. Note when you use the microwave they will become soggy.
What to Serve with Ritz Cracker Chicken
- Baked Red Potatoes
- Boiled Carrots Recipe
- Easy Broccoli Casserole
- Fried Okra
- Jiffy Cream Corn Casserole
- Jojo Fries
- KFC Coleslaw
- Martha Stewart Macaroni and Cheese
- Old Fashioned Asparagus Casserole
- Yellow Squash Casserole
Popular Chicken Recipes
Check out more of my easy chicken recipes and the best budget-friendly recipes here on CopyKat!
Thanks to chrissiemc for sharing this recipe.
Ritz Cracker Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast strips
- 35 Ritz crackers crushed into fine crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 egg beaten
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, and lightly grease a baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine the Ritz cracker crumbs, salt, paprika, and black pepper. Stir.
- In a separate bowl, combine the egg and the milk. Stir.
- Dip the chicken strips in the milk/egg mixture, and then coat in the cracker mixture.
- Put the chicken in the baking dish, drizzle the melted butter on top.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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