Poppyseed Chicken

Poppyseed chicken is one of my family's favorite meals! I even have a few of my girl's friends request it when they come over!! You can serve this with a salad, or vegetable or both. I also like to serve it with bread.

2 cups of cooked chicken

½ cup onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken stock

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened

salt & pepper

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Butter to grease the dish

3 cups cooked white rice

For the topping:

1 sleeve round Ritz crackers, crushed

4 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and sauté the onion for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the garlic, and stir for only a minute until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic! Stir in the flour, coating the onions and garlic, making a clumpy mixture. Then whisk in the heavy cream, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until sauce thickens. Whisk in the chicken stock. Stir until the mixture just begins to simmer. Then add in the sour cream and cream cheese, stirring until smooth. Remove pan from heat, add salt, pepper, and poppy seeds. Stir in the chicken. Butter a 9x13 casserole layer rice on the bottom and spread the mixture on top of the rice. Top with crushed crackers, drizzle with melted butter. Bake uncovered for 15-18 minutes or until crackers are golden and the filling is bubbly.

Note: You can serve the rice on the side or put it all together in the same dish. I have done it both ways, whichever you prefer!

Enjoy!