I loved it when Mother made Poppy Seed Chicken, so much so that I asked her to make it for my birthday dinners (with, of course, her Elizabeth Doyle’s Chocolate Cake recipe).  It’s the perfect meal for a weeknight dinner or a weekend dinner party with friends. Add brown rice, a salad, and rolls and you’ve got comfort food at its best.  Poppy Seed Chicken can be made ahead, from freezer to oven, and is a great entree to take to a friend in need. We enjoyed it last Sunday and served it on a bed of brown rice, with sides of watermelon and a tomato and cucumber salad.

Ingredients:

• 5 cups cooked chicken, sliced into bite-size chunks
•  2 cans cream of chicken soup
•  16 ounces sour cream
•  3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
•  1 tablespoon poppy seeds
•  1 tablespoon dried parsley
•  3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•  2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (about 2 sleeves)
•  1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven heat to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, Parmesan, poppy seeds, parsley, garlic powder, and black pepper. Stir, then add the cooked chicken and stir again until the meat is evenly coated in sauce. Transfer to a 9×13-inch baking dish.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter with a fork. Sprinkle over the chicken mixture.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes until the cracker topping is golden brown and the filling is hot all the way through and bubbling around the edges.

Enjoy!