The Retro Meal That Beats Out Fried Chicken For Dinner

Some of the most crowd-pleasing meals use basic ingredients and don't require much time or mess in the kitchen. Fried chicken is a popular, family-friendly comfort food, but it can be a bit messy to make. For a chicken meal that can be prepped quickly and baked in the oven, yet is still satisfyingly crispy, try coating your chicken breasts in a breading with retro vibes: Ritz Cracker crumbs.  

Ritz Cracker chicken is a nostalgic meal with roots in 1950s America. Post-World War II saw a boom in convenience cooking, with the invention of frozen TV dinners advertised as a way to lessen the load for busy moms. Along with premade meals were recipes that didn't require spending hours in the kitchen and used packaged pantry staples to speed up the preparation. Hence, the invention of Ritz Cracker chicken, which typically took the form of a chicken casserole, another popular dish in the mid-century U.S. 

Ritz Cracker chicken casserole consists of blending shredded chicken with sour cream and condensed soup, spreading a thick layer of Ritz Cracker crumbs over the top, and baking it in the oven. The flavor and ingredients are similar to a chicken pot pie, but in a rectangular, casserole form. While popular in its day and still a great way to use up leftovers, casseroles aren't exactly the bee's knees anymore. Instead, crush up some Ritz Cracker crumbs to bread your chicken breasts for a faux fried chicken that kids and adults will love.

While Ritz Cracker chicken casserole is an old school chicken dish you probably ate at your grandparents' house, you can use it as inspiration for a more modern-day version. Ritz Cracker chicken breasts only take about 35 minutes to make (10 minutes prep, 25 minutes to bake), making it perfect for busy weeknights. It also doesn't require an abundance of ingredients: boneless chicken breasts, something to coat them in to make the crackers stick, a bowl of Ritz Cracker crumbs, and your preferred seasonings (some options include salt, pepper, garlic powder or salt, and Italian seasoning). The result is super savory and crispy chicken that tastes even better than fried. 

A popular option for making this meal is to dip the chicken breasts in an egg wash, then coat them in the mixture of Ritz Cracker crumbs and seasonings. The liquid egg helps the crackers stick to the chicken and helps the chicken crisp up in the oven. You can also upgrade your egg wash by using a condiment that some people add for breading fried chicken. 

However, egg wash isn't your only option. Mayonnaise also makes a great binder for bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, and results in super crispy chicken. Also, try Greek Yogurt, milk, melted butter, olive oil, or honey for sweet and salty Ritz Cracker chicken. No Ritz Crackers on hand? No problem. Club crackers, saltines, or even Cheez-Its will make a great buttery, savory coating for your chicken.