connie’s poppyseed chicken casserole

How To Make connie’s poppyseed chicken casserole

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  Step 1
  Tear or cut the cooked* chicken into pieces. *If you need to cook the chicken, put it in a pot with 2-3 inches of water. (See photo.) Cover and simmer on medium for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is done. Cool a little before tearing into pieces. *Or buy a rotisserie chicken from the store and tear it into pieces. Turkey breast (or leftover Thanksgiving turkey) would work well, too. Set the chicken pieces aside.
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  Step 2
  Preheat the oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, stir together the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, and poppy seeds.
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  Step 3
  Add the chicken pieces to the sour cream mixture and mix well.
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  Step 4
  Mist a casserole dish or an 11 x 7" baking dish with cooking spray. Pour the chicken mixture into the dish and spread evenly.
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  Step 5
  Crush the Ritz crackers. (I just put them into a baggie and roll them lightly with a rolling pin.) Your way is also perfect.
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  Step 6
  Sprinkle the crumbled Ritz crackers over the chicken mixture.
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  Step 7
  About the butter... The original recipe from the 1970s called for 1 stick of butter, but I've made it with just half a stick and thought it was delicious. Feel free to play with this or use 3/4 of a stick, if you're hesitant about a big change to a recipe. Melt the butter (or margarine) in a microwave-proof cup for about 30 seconds. Pour over the cracker crumbs.
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  Step 8
  Bake the casserole in the preheated 350° F. oven for approximately 25-30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the cracker topping is lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.
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  Step 9
  Serve with your favorite vegetable or salad. Refrigerate any leftovers.
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