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Granny’s Poppy Seed Chicken

Smooth, flavorful, easy to throw together and fun to look at, granny’s poppy seed chicken comes together in about 15 minutes and it’s all over except the waiting! You won’t believe how much flavor it has! It’s one of my favorite main dishes!

grannys poppy seed chicken in spoon

Granny’s Poppy Seed Chicken

All the kids (and the adults too) line up at the stove with their plate in hand every time I fix this dish. It’s so simple and easy, it’s hard to believe it is so delicious! But trust me, it IS! My son in law actually licked his plate clean.

You’ll LOVE:

  • How Easy and FAST this recipe is!
  • The TOTAL BANG of flavor!
  • The FUN LOOK of this dish!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

ingredients on a table

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs – cut into 1″ chunks
  • 1 box Stove Top Stuffing (whatever flavor looks good to you).
  • 1/2 stick butter (4 oz) melted.
  • 1 can of “cream of” anything soup – chicken, celery, mushroom – they all work.
  • 1 Cup sour cream
  • one tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Pinch of kosher salt.
  • Pinch of ground black pepper

Equipment:

  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • 2 quart baking dish
  • Oven

Key Steps

  1. Saute the chicken and season.
  2. Mix the chicken, sour cream and cream soup.
  3. Layer into baking dish with Stove Top Stuffing.
  4. End with stuffing on the top and pour over the melted butter.

What Can I Serve This With?

There are lots and lots of options to serve this with! We love to use this as a gift when we take a meal to someone.

It’s great with …

Can I Make This Into a Complete Meal?

Sure! Just add some veggies to the casserole and bake in a larger dish! You’ll also need to up the sour cream and “cream of” soup so that everything in there gets plenty of love!

I would recommend adding frozen broccoli or frozen peas and carrots (about 2 cups total) and add 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 can of soup.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Can I Freeze This?

You CAN freeze this! Cover tightly with foil and keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

How Do I Cook It After Freezing?

The day before you plan to cook this dish, set it into the refrigerator to thaw. Then for supper, set the oven on 350 and place into the oven with the foil covering for 20-30 minutes until the contents are bubbly and hot. Remove the foil and broil the top for 5 mintues or so until golden.

How Long Does Poppy Seed Chicken Keep?

This will keep for 5 days if kept covered in the fridge.
Don’t allow to sit out for more than 2 hours.

Do Kids Like Poppy Seed Chicken?

Mine do.

How Long Do I Cook the Chicken?

You’ll want to cook the chicken in a pan until the pink is just gone. Do not cook and cook and cook! This will make your end casserole dry!

Remember that the chicken will continue to cook in the casserole and therefore you do not want it to be over done in the end.

dish on table

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Poppy Seed Chicken

  • You can use any boneless skinless cut of chicken you like for this dish, but I whole heartedly recommend thighs because they are more forgiving and do not dry out like breast meat does. Either will work though.
  • Be sure to season the chicken when you are cooking it initially or you will note that your final product has a ton of flavor EXCEPT on the chicken pieces.
  • Do NOT be distressed that your stuffing package contents settle where a lot of the seasoning ends up in the bottom. That is actually a GOOD thing for this recipe. Use the pieces at the top for the middle layer and then the flavorful pieces will end up on the top of the casserole right where you want them.
  • This is made in a 2 quart baking dish (not a 9×13). If you are making in a 9×13, you will need to adjust the baking time. It’s done when it is hot throughout (this might happen quicker in a larger baking dish).
  • I use a TON of poppy seeds when I make this recipe but that is totally adjustable to your tastes. Use less or more as you see fit.
  • If you don’t have the dried thyme, no worries, it will be flavorful enough.
  • It also works to just lay pats of butter on the top of the casserole once it is assembled if you aren’t into melting the butter.
  • You can kick up this recipe by adding veggies (just be sure to add more sour cream and soup).
  • PRO TIP: You can add a TON more flavor by adding 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese or 4 oz of cream cheese to the sour cream/soup mix and then also sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.

If You Enjoyed This Chicken Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy…

Watch Me Make Granny’s Poppy Seed Chicken Right Here

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spoonful of grannys poppy seed chicken

Poppy Seed Chicken

Smooth, flavorful, easy to throw together and fun to look at, granny’s poppy seed chicken comes together in about 15 minutes and it’s all over except the waiting!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Granny’s poppy seed chicken
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 270kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbs oil
  • 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1” chunks
  • Pinch Salt
  • Pinch Pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • 1 Cup Sour Cream
  • 1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup Can be any cream of soup: celery, mushroom, etc.
  • 4 Tbs Poppy Seeds
  • 1 Box Stove Top Stuffing any flavor.
  • 4 Tbs Butter melted – or not – see notes.

Instructions

  • In a skillet on the stove over medium heat, allow the oil and pan to come to temperature. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 2 quart oven safe dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Put the chicken into the skillet all at once and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked nearly through (when you see very little to no pink left in the chicken). Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper while it is cooking.
  • In a medium sized bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, sour cream and cream of soup. Set aside.
  • When the chicken is done, add the chicken to the sour cream mixture and mix well. Pour half of the mixture into your prepared baking dish and spread it out. Top with half of the stove top stuffing and half of the poppy seeds. Layer the rest of the chicken mixture onto the stuffing, sprinkle with poppy seeds and spread out over the pan. Top with the rest of the stove top stuffing. Pour the melted butter over the top.
  • Place into the hot oven on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes until it is heated through and bubbly. The top should be browned.

Notes

  • You can use any boneless skinless cut of chicken you like for this dish, but I whole heartedly recommend thighs because they are more forgiving and do not dry out like breast meat does. Either will work though.
  • Be sure to season the chicken when you are cooking it initially or you will note that your final product has a ton of flavor EXCEPT on the chicken pieces.
  • Do NOT be distressed that your stuffing package contents settle where a lot of the seasoning ends up in the bottom. That is actually a GOOD thing for this recipe. Use the pieces at the top for the middle layer and then the flavorful pieces will end up on the top of the casserole right where you want them.
  • This is made in a 2 quart baking dish (not a 9×13). If you are making in a 9×13, you will need to adjust the baking time. It’s done when it is hot throughout (this might happen quicker in a larger baking dish).
  • I use a TON of poppy seeds when I make this recipe but that is totally adjustable to your tastes. Use less or more as you see fit. If you don’t have the dried thyme, no worries, it will be flavorful enough. It also works to just lay pats of butter on the top of the casserole once it is assembled if you aren’t into melting the butter. You can kick up this recipe by adding veggies (just be sure to add more sour cream and soup).
 
PRO TIP: You can add a TON more flavor by adding 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese or 4 oz of cream cheese to the sour cream/soup mix and then also sprinkle the top with parmesan cheese.
PRO TIP 2: If you brown the chicken in a cast iron skillet, you can use that same skillet to bake this dish in thus saving a dish in your kitchen (one less thing to wash!) plus, no need to spray with cooking spray because it will already have some oil in it from cooking the chicken.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Poppy Seed Chicken
Amount Per Serving
Calories 270 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Cholesterol 103mg34%
Sodium 208mg9%
Potassium 465mg13%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 391IU8%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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A Verse To Share

Finding my own peace is something that I have become pretty good at doing. That said, making peace with others (especially during this trying political time) is something I need a lot more help with. It’s good to remember this verse…

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God

Wendi is the writer, CEO and dishwasher at Loaves and Dishes! When not in the kitchen or behind the computer, you can find Wendi serving on International Food Conference Boards, Speaking at various conferences, Leading and Cooking for the local Arts Council's "Taste of Stokes" events or donating home cooked goodies to various local non profits such as the Danbury Songwriters and Stokes Partnership for Children. Wendi is also a Registered Nurse with a Master's Degree and serves on her town's board of councilmen.

Recipe Rating




Sara

Wednesday 23rd of March 2022

Easy and turned out well! I used about 1.5 lbs of chicken, added 2 cups of frozen veggie mix, and followed the suggestion to add grated cheese and then sprinkle parmesan on top. Will definitely be making this again!

Wendi J Spraker

Sunday 13th of December 2020

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