Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced fine
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 sleeve buttery round crackers, about 35, crushed
• 5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Before you cook

• Shred the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.
• Dice the onion very fine.
• Let the cream cheese sit out until soft.
• Crush the crackers into coarse crumbs, leaving some pieces the size of peas.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt the 3 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent.
4. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
5. Whisk in the chicken broth and simmer for 3 minutes, until the sauce is thick and glossy.
6. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the sour cream and the softened cream cheese until no lumps remain.
7. Stir in the lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and 1 tablespoon of the poppy seeds.
8. Fold in the shredded chicken.
9. Spread the mixture evenly in the buttered dish.
10. Toss the crushed crackers with the melted butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds in a bowl.
11. Scatter the buttered crumbs over the chicken in an even layer.
12. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the topping is deep golden and the sauce bubbles at the corners.
13. Let the casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving over rice or noodles.