Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breasts Recipe (2024)

By Eric Kim

Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breasts Recipe (1)

Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(4,288)
Notes
Read community notes

They’re as good as they sound: cheesy chicken cutlets coated with buttery Ritz crackers. Skipping the usual flour-egg-bread crumb dredge, this recipe relies instead on a flavorful base layer of tangy sour cream, which has lactic acid that tenderizes boneless, skinless chicken breasts beautifully. When it comes to breaded white meat, thin cutlets are ideal, which you can buy from the store or achieve by slicing thick breasts in half horizontally (no pounding necessary). They cook more evenly this way, staying tender throughout as they’re quickly baked in a hot oven. Serve with something fresh — a big green salad, perhaps — to balance the wonderful richness of this nostalgic number.

Featured in: Three Ways to a Better Chicken Breast

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1tablespoon olive oil, plus more for greasing wire rack
  • ¼cup sour cream
  • 1large egg white
  • 1teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
  • 2large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds total)
  • 1sleeve Ritz crackers (about 100 grams)
  • 2ounces extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 1 cup)
  • ½teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½teaspoon onion powder

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

526 calories; 27 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 18 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 49 grams protein; 595 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breasts Recipe (2)

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

  1. Step

    1

    Position rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place an ovenproof wire rack over a sheet pan. Dab a folded-up paper towel with olive oil and rub it over the wire rack to grease it.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg white and Dijon mustard until smooth. Season with salt. Lay the chicken flat on a cutting board and carve each breast in half horizontally so you end up with four thin cutlets. Add the chicken to the sour cream mixture, and using your hands, smear the sour cream all over the chicken.

  3. Step

    3

    In a large bowl, crush the Ritz crackers into coarse pieces with your fingers. Some crackers will turn to rubble while others turn to dust. Add the cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and olive oil. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and toss until evenly distributed. Holding one of the chicken cutlets by its thinner end, add to the bowl with the crumbs, and using your hands, pack the crumbs onto the chicken, pressing them in to create a thick coating. Transfer the breaded chicken to the rack in the sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining three cutlets.

  4. Step

    4

    Bake the cutlets until the outsides are crispy and the insides are no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes. Let the chicken cool slightly so the coating can set, about 5 minutes, before transferring to plates and serving.

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4,288

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

JC

This recipe is a “cousin” to a 1960’s family favorite, “RitzCracker Chicken” OUR RECIPE:One whole chicken, cut in eighths and skinnedCrushed Ritz Crackers Melted butter (ouch)Bake in preheated 425• oven and serve. Every once in a while my grown sons still request…

AlisonK

Good recipe. I counted the crackers as I crumbled them into a bowl on my scale. About 32 crackers for 100g. Then I zeroed the scale and switched to ounces to add the cheese. What’s with the mixed measures here? It would be nice if Times recipes used one set of measurements consistently in a recipe, preferably with the other in parentheses since the USA is the only nation that doesn’t use metric.

Andy

yes, and since yogurt is a bit thinner than sour cream, you can actually skip the eggwhite - still binds nicely

Catherine

Hey London, I copied this from the NYT substitution guide, it's very helpful."Tangy, textural ingredients like crema, crème fraîche, mascarpone, Neufchâtel, Quark, queso fresco, sour cream or yogurt of any variety can be used interchangeably."

godboutat

I'm thinking Cheez-Its might be fun, too.

John A

This worked well in an airfryer at 400 F for 15 minutes, flipping once. (internal temperature of the chicken needs to be 165 F)

Rose

I'm thinking of using Cheez-Its instead of Ritz crackers and cheddar.Should I go get my coat?

Emzmom

Just made this. Used pounded thighs. Ritz makes the crust a little sweet. I will add a bit of chili flakes next time. I also cooked this on a cookie sheet on a 450 degree grill. Cooked perfectly

Paula

An even easier variation I have made frequently:1/4 cup olive oil mixed /1 tbs chopped garlic in one bowl1/4 cup grated Parmesan mixed / 1/4 cup bread crumbs in second bowlDip chicken into oil & garlic, then cover with crumbs & cheese.Bake @ 425 degrees x 20-25 minutes.

Julie

I can’t eat gluten, so I use Rice Chex cereal, crushed. I keep a box in my freezer so it stays fresh. Comes out very crispy, like Panko.

stephanie

in this recipe the sour cream serves a dual purpose - the lactic acid tenderizing the chicken, while the sour cream itself coats the chicken and gives the breading something to adhere to. you definitely could sub yogurt, but neither queso fresco nor neufchâtel would work as a sub, and quark might be iffy depending on the product. i think most people here know this and would make an educated sub but, hey, it takes all kinds you know? ;)

Bonacker

This is one of those old ideas from a mid-20th-century Ritz Cracker recipe booklet, slightly tweaked. It's funny to see the NY Times audience high-falutin' it up with mascarpone, etc. Anyhoo, cooking it on a rack is an improvement!

Mike Linton

This chicken was AMAZING. It was so juicy and tender. I let it marinate in the sour cream mixture of a couple of hours.

GrandRapids

I have made this using seasoned Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix after dipping in sour cream and drizzling with a little butter. Delicious and simple.

Sue in British Columbia.Don't eat out often

Similar. Julia Child from really old Julia Child. Use Swiss Cheese and Panko

Cassandra

Doubled (tripled?) the onion powder and garlic powder (I spilled one, so I had to match with the other). Added crushed red pepper to the sour cream mixture per a comment suggestion and used the air fryer at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, flipping at the 10 minute mark. Served as sandwiches on toasted pretzel buns. Absolute delight.

Pam Pomar

Made this last night. Sprayed the baking rack but everything on the bottom of the chicken stayed wet, didnt brown, and stuck to the rack, didn’t come off with the chicken so made a dishwashing mess. But the taste was very good and the breast meat moist.

MS

Made this in Hawaii and it was a bit of a disaster. The chicken did not crisp, likely due to the humidity and resulted in a bit of a slimy exterior. An air fryer would have helped but even a minute under the broiler did not render a crispy outside. Taste was good but my family said more seasoning would have helped.

Grace Diggs

Great recipe- I used half Ritz crackers and half rosemary crackers, and the rosemary flavor added a more complex flavor to the chicken, with no extra work.

jade

Followed the recipe and also made the salad to go with it and it’s delicious! I don’t normally like chicken breast but this was not dry at all and so tasty.

Sandy

Although this recipe looked good, I found it too salty with the Ritz crackers. Also, placing the rack 1/3 up from the bottom did not achieve the golden, crispy crust pictured with the recipe. I had to move up close to the top to finish.

Christina

This recipe has a lot of potential, but I think it would be useful for the author to amend the recipe to include an ideal thickness for the chicken breasts instead of simply cutting them in half. As others have noted, if you have super thick chicken breasts, 12-15 minutes is not going to be nearly enough time. One of mine is still in the oven after nearly an hour.

Julie

The first time I made it I didn't have sour cream so used ranch dressing. The second time I did the sour cream and egg white dijon thing and I have to admit that the ranch dressing was better. In both cases, however.....it was a yummy dish.

Noel

We made this again tonight and used Cabot seriously sharp cheddar. It was delish! I also didn’t realize we were out of mustard and only had dill pickle mustard from TJ’s. Surprisingly added a nice zing to the overall flavor!

chelsea

I used mayo instead of sour cream or yogurt, as I didn’t have either of them. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly! Needed a bit more time in the oven (i am sure this varies depending on breast size) so use a meat thermometer if you have one. The top was wonderfully crunchy and the bottom was, well, a bit soggy - but to be fair I have never seen baked, coated chicken come out super crispy all over. The main point is it tasted great and my finicky toddler really gobbled it up!

sheila goodwin

bottom side of chicken did not crisp

KFSD

Turned out perfectly! It was just me so I froze the leftovers after cooking and they were just as good. I'd make it again in a minute.

Andy

Don't let the oven proof wire rack stop you if you don't have one! I Don't have one either, so instead i used an aluminum foil lined baking tray and put the chicken directly on it. I was worried it would stick so I cut the chicken into strips for tenders in case I ended up having to wrangle them a bit, but it worked! Bottom came out a little toastier than the top, but not burnt, and though they did stick a bit, they came off clean with the gentle nudge from a spatula. Kids gave it 10/10

rebecca

Wow, this was so good!! I used plain yogurt instead of sour cream, since it was what I had on hand. Had enough coating for 3 chicken breasts, a little over 2 lbs.

PS

I made this last night and it was hit. A few mods though. I used up half a pack of garlic and herb Boursin I had in the fridge. Soften it first in the microwave and stir it into the sour cream. In place of the egg, I used buttermilk to thin the sour cream (that's what they do here in Georgia). I also let the chicken rest in the sour cream/buttermilk for almost an hour in the fridge. I didn't have cheddar, so I used a package of colby jack. Next time, I might try Gruyere.

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Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breasts Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to cook chicken breasts so they are moist and tender? ›

To keep chicken moist and juicy, cook it at a lower temperature in the oven, at 350°F after searing each side. Be careful not to overcook which will make it dry. Bake until the internal temperature just reaches 165°F. Don't forget to rest your meat for 10-15 minutes before cutting into it.

What is the best way to cook chicken breast without drying it out? ›

Make sure your chicken breast is well-seasoned before adding it to the pan. Cook each side evenly until brown. Once done, bake the chicken breast in a pre-heated oven until juices run clear. The crispy skin from the sear will help keep juices intact while baking cooks the insides through without drying them out.

How to make chicken breast actually taste good? ›

Here are 7 tricks to make chicken breasts taste better and even totally delicious.
  1. Cook them right. Most people get scared and overcook chicken breasts, cooking out all the moisture and leaving them tough and dry. ...
  2. Marinate them. ...
  3. Cut them thin. ...
  4. Fry them. ...
  5. Stuff them. ...
  6. Shred them. ...
  7. Use the right pan.

How do you keep chicken breast moist when baking? ›

Temperature and Timing

Cooking lean meats at a high temperature means they cook more quickly, and this can help capture the moisture and flavor. Adler recommends cooking bone-in chicken breast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit, which can take up to 20 minutes for a bone-in breast.

What is the secret to moist chicken? ›

Brines and marinades help tenderize the meat by bringing more moisture in the protein. With that extra moisture, you lose less when you cook. The simplest way to do this is with a dry brine — unwrap the chicken breasts, salt them on both sides and let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour.

Should I cover chicken breast with foil when baking? ›

When chicken is covered while baking, it traps steam and moisture within the dish, resulting in juicier results. The covering helps prevent excessive evaporation and keeps the chicken moist throughout the cooking process. Preventing dryness. Chicken tends to dry out more quickly when exposed to direct heat.

What gives chicken the most flavor? ›

Spices: Garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and cumin add savoriness and flavor to the chicken. Spices like paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and Cajun seasoning add heat and smokiness to the chicken.

How do you get the most flavor out of chicken breast? ›

Whip up a yogurt- or olive oil-based marinade with your favorite spices, some minced garlic, ginger, chiles, and a squeeze of lemon or drizzle of vinegar. Letting your chicken sit in a marinade like this for at least 15 minutes can make a huge difference — but if you can let it go for 24 hours, that's even better.

Is it better to bake chicken at 350 or 400? ›

Given the fact that drumsticks and thighs are dark meat and won't dry out as easily as breasts, the range from 350 to 450 degrees is okay for baking them. 350 to 375 is generally best for breasts. The best answer to these questions? Simply check the chicken for doneness using an instant read thermometer.

How do I make sure my chicken breast doesn't dry out in the oven? ›

They can, in fact, be moist, tender, and full of flavor — something you actually look forward to having for dinner. The secret? The parchment paper method. By covering the chicken with a piece of parchment paper, the chicken bastes in its own juices so they never dry out.

How do you make chicken soft and juicy? ›

Here are four simple steps you can follow to make your chicken dishes as juicy, flavorful, and tender as possible:
  1. Debone the pieces of meat. To tenderize pieces of chicken, you'll need to remove any bones left in the meat. ...
  2. Pound the poultry. ...
  3. Marinate your chicken. ...
  4. Cook at an adequate temperature.
Oct 8, 2021

How to keep chicken breast from drying out? ›

Marinating chicken breasts not only adds flavor but also contributes to moisture retention. Choose a marinade with a combination of acidic ingredients (like vinegar or citrus), oil, herbs, and spices. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or even overnight for a more intense flavor.

How do I make my chicken breast juicy again? ›

Chicken stock or broth is the best liquid to impart flavor and moisture back into dry chicken. Warm your broth over a medium heat until it is hot but not boiling. Place your shredded chicken in the pan until it is barely covered with enough broth to coat the chicken.

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