Poppy Seed Chicken

Ingredients

Serves/makes 6

1.
Gather and prepare all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×9-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
2.
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season evenly with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
3.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the cubed chicken in an even layer. Sear in batches if needed. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, then flip, and cook for another 3 minutes.
4.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on paper towels to drain. Set aside.
5.
Turn the heat to medium and melt 2 Tbsp of butter in the skillet, then sprinkle in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
6.
Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, whisking until it thickens, for about 1 minute.
7.
Next, whisk in the milk, remaining salt and pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Keep whisking until thick and smooth, for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
8.
Place the chicken in a bowl. Pour the sauce, sour cream, and half (1½ teaspoons) of the poppy seeds into the bowl. Fold everything together and place it in the greased casserole dish.
9.
Melt the remaining butter in a medium bowl and add the crushed crackers and remaining poppy seeds to it. Fold together until combined. Then top the casserole evenly with the poppy-seed buttery crackers.
10.
Bake the casserole, uncovered, in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown.

You can make the recipe ahead of time! Assemble the casserole up to the baking step, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Wait to add the buttery cracker topping until just before baking, so it stays crisp, then add a few extra minutes to the bake time if the casserole is cold from the fridge.