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Ultimate Creamy Hot Chicken Salad Casserole with Buttery Cracker Topping

Close-up of a baked hot chicken salad casserole with a creamy interior and a crunchy, golden-brown topping.
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Make this easy, creamy hot chicken salad casserole, a Southern comfort food favorite perfect for potlucks or family dinners. It features tender chicken in a rich sauce, topped with a buttery, crunchy cracker crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 1 cup celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
  • 1/2 cup water chestnuts, drained and sliced
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup buttery cracker crumbs (like Ritz or saltines mixed with melted butter)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8×8 inch baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, chopped celery, toasted almonds, and sliced water chestnuts.
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth.
  4. Pour the dressing mixture over the chicken and vegetable mixture. Gently fold everything together until the ingredients are evenly coated.
  5. Stir in half of the shredded cheddar cheese into the chicken mixture.
  6. Transfer the entire mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it into an even layer.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheddar cheese over the top of the casserole.
  8. Evenly distribute the buttery cracker crumbs over the cheese layer to create the crunchy topping.
  9. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the topping is golden brown and crisp.
  10. Let the hot chicken salad casserole rest for 5 minutes before you serve it warm.

Notes

  • For a Paula Deen style variation, you can substitute potato chips for the cracker crumbs in the topping for extra crunch.
  • You can prepare this casserole, cover it, and refrigerate it up to 24 hours before baking. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the baking time if cooking straight from the refrigerator.
  • Use rotisserie chicken to make this an even quicker family dinner.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/hot-chicken-salad-casserole-recipe/