Ritzy Cheddar Chicken Breasts
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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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.
Powered byPreparation
- 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.
- Step 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 skinned Crushed 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?
Paula
An even easier variation I have made frequently: 1/4 cup olive oil mixed /1 tbs chopped garlic in one bowl 1/4 cup grated Parmesan mixed / 1/4 cup bread crumbs in second bowl Dip 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.
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
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? ;)
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.
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!
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
Dan
Definitely add ground pepper to the crumbs, and don’t be afraid to fry this in a half-inch of oil in the cast-iron skillet, instead of baking it. Nobody has to know…
Tracey A.
I have Celiac Disease, so I substituted Almond Mills Almond Flour Farmhouse Cheddar cheese crackers. Added a pinch of red pepper flakes. Amazing!!! Even better the next day.
sueflblue
Made this tonight and it was yummy. Because I like some heat I added a tablespoon of red pepper flakes to the cracker/cheese mixture. Had fresh asparagus instead of the salad.
Vivian Ayuso
Made this dish a couple days ago. Used the whole egg, added more seasonings as too many people said it was bland, including crushed pepper. For the rest, followed the recipe. The taste was delicious BUT it the outside didn't get as crispy as I was expecting...
Steph
Any thoughts/experience on/with non dairy sub for sour cream in this case?
Kathryn
Made this last night and it was so good and so easy - we are adding it to the regular rotation!
Pascale
Excellent. I air fried the chicken at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Kathy in Tucson
Made with nugget-size pieces of chicken and used the air fryer to cook in two batches. 380 degrees for 12 minutes with a short spritz of olive oil on top. Didn’t bother shaking the basket or trying to flip halfway because the cheese was melting and it was already kinda messy. They were great on top of a salad.
Zinniagirl
Could you grill these outside?
Grisel
I love how flavorful this recipe is. My 4 and 2 yo usually like it. However, I have not been able to get it as crispy as it looks in the photo. Does anyone have tips to make it happen?
MomC
This is my daughter's favorite dish and I really didn't like it for a while. Then, I started addding Frank's to the sour cream mix and smoked paprika to the Ritz mix. Now I like it and she still loves it. Before it was very one note, now it is more balanced and flavorful.
JH
Quite a bland recipe. Carefully followed instructions. Recommended bake time of 10-15 minutes was much too short. I recommend using an instant read thermometer to ensure doneness. Coating baked OK but I used the broiler briefly for a deeper brown. I’ve amended my own notes on this recipe if I ever plan to make it again.
Jody
Followed the recipe and used panko breadcrumbs instead. Sprinkled crushed red pepper before serving. Delicious!
Brushjl
I should have used cheeseits, great idea! Instead I used saltiness and it was a little dry and bland.
Judy
Thank you, Eric! For me, less salt. Also, be sure to not let the Ritz be too chunky.
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