These Ritz Cracker Recipes Will Have You Thinking Outside of the Box
Kids and kids at ❤️ go wild for these no-bake cookie sandwiches.
From savory Ritz cracker chicken recipes to sweet (and super-simple) sandwich cookie creations, these Ritz cracker recipes will have you thinking the “you can’t eat just one” saying was made for them. Keep a box or two of these butter crackers handy to crumble on top of casseroles, to crust pork and chicken, or to feature in homemade candy recipes.
Million Dollar Chicken Casserole
Grant Webster
Here’s a Ritz cracker chicken recipe that proudly rocks its pricey moniker due to the fact that fans exclaim that “this tastes like a million bucks.” Thanks to leftover or rotisserie chicken and a few store-bought shortcuts—including a crunchy crumbled Ritz cracker topping—this comfort food casserole requires just 15 minutes of prep time. Now that’s priceless.
Mix-and-Match Baked Chicken Fingers and Dipping Sauces
No need to fuss with a deep-fryer. These customizable chicken tenders bake to crispy, craveable status right in your oven. And since the chicken pieces are smaller in size than a chicken thigh or breast, this family-friendly and party-perfect option can be on the table in a mere 15 minutes. First, select your sauce; our options include a creamy salsa, Buffalo ranch, honey mustard, and pizza. Then choose your coating to bread the fingers. Of course, we’re partial to Ritz, but crushed pretzels, cheddar crackers, potato chips, or snack mix will also do.
Cinnamon-Walnut Cracker Bars
No need to fuss over a pastry or cookie crust. This no-bake bar cookie recipe features a buttery cracker crust. The salty flavor of the Ritz (or your favorite rectangular rich cracker) complements the sweet brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnut center beautifully. Add one more layer of crackers and top things off with a generous layer of melted chocolate, and all that’s left to do is chill the pan until the treats are firm—then chow down.
Ranch Fried Chicken
Ranch is far too tasty to reserve for dressed dishes alone. In this Ritz cracker chicken recipe, a tablespoon of powdered ranch mix perks up the cracker coating for the poultry pieces. (This rendition calls for saltines, but Ritz also rock.) While the parsley, dill, chives, onion, and garlic undertones scent every ounce of the crispy chicken, we’re fond of pairing this better-than-fast-food-fried-chicken with a sidecar of ranch dressing for dunking.
Spicy Cheese (Foot)Ball
Regardless of the reason or the season that you whip up this cheese ball, you might want to share it with a warning sign, one five-star reviewer suggests. “You won't be able to stop eating this cheese ball. The filling is incredible! I will not ever lose this filling recipe,” they say. That filling, by the way, is much more than cheese (cream, cheddar, and pepper cheese). The “pigskin” bacon coating disguises a tempting mixture of corn kernels, green onions, jalapeños, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and garlic. The best vessel to scoop up all of the above? Ritz crackers for the win.
Test Kitchen Tip: If your spicy cheese ball isn’t for a football party, player, or fan, feel free to alter the shape to become a basketball, baseball, or a classic sports-free sphere.
No-Bake Cookie Butter Sandwich Cookies
This Ritz cracker recipe reminds us of childhood. Bonus: It’s easy enough for kiddos to make themselves. To bring this no-bake dessert to life, simply sandwich a spoonful of cookie butter between two crackers, then dunk half of each sandwich into melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped pecans (or sprinkles, cookie crumbles, or crushed pretzels).
Oven-Fried Chicken
If you assume an oven-fried Ritz cracker chicken recipe can’t compete with its fast food competition, it’s time to reconsider. One BHG fan confirms, “this is a great recipe! My 7 year old daughter loved it! It turned out crispy,” and another adds, “all I have to say is ‘mmm…good!’” Along with a splash of melted butter and some extra pep by way of paprika and thyme, the salty, buttery qualities of the crackers lend enough richness and flavor to guarantee no one will feel like they’re missing a thing.
Make-Ahead Cheese Fondue Casserole
After you assemble this easy, cheesy casserole up to 24 hours in advance, it will likely live rent-free in your brain until you bake and devour it. The decadent combination of pasta, Swiss and Gruyère cheeses, white wine, and a parsley-seasoned Ritz cracker crown is utterly irresistible.
Test Kitchen Tip: Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth to keep it vegetarian, or to make this casserole even heartier, fold in 12 ounces of shrimp before baking.
Zucchini and Eggplant Bake
Don’t scroll away if you reside with—or tend to be—a picky eater. Eating vegetables is actually fun when you pair them with a little mayo, cheese, and a crunchy crumbled Ritz cracker garnish. This fan-favorite vegetarian casserole sneaks in not just one vegetable, but four: Zucchini, red sweet peppers, onions, and eggplant.
Classic Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
BHG / Andrea Araiza
This supersized Midwestern sandwich is a staple at diners, festivals, state fairs—and many family kitchens. “This recipe is super easy, and reminds me of the way my mom and my grandma used to make them,” one fan raves. True to form, the Ritz cracker-coated pork extends well past the boundaries of the bun so that the crispy, buttermilk-dipped and garlic-seasoned pork gets its own moment in the sun.
No-Bake Coconut Date Cracker Bars with Browned Butter Glaze
Listen up, fans of Almond Joy candy bars! This oven-free bar cookie recipe gives a nod to that trick-or-treat favorite, and ups the ante with a few bonus elements. Rich crackers—rectangular or Ritz—act as the top and bottom “crust” for the coconut, nut, and brown sugar filling. A splash of rum and a browned butter glaze make them worthy of feedback like, “Very good, and hard to stop eating,” in the best way.
Party Potatoes
Grant Webster
Keep a bag of diced hash browns in the freezer to dig out and transform into one of the most crowd-pleasing potato side dishes to ever leave our Test Kitchen. Beyond those spuds, you’ll need just four other ingredients to bring the creamy, cheesy, and crunchy casserole to your table. The classic recipe calls for cornflakes, however one of our favorite ways to elevate this dish to new decadent heights is to trade in crumbled crackers. Good thing this makes 10 servings; the extra hint of buttery flavor the Ritz crackers provide often inspires our dining companions to go back for seconds.
Hot and Cheesy Chicken Casserole
Not all semi-homemade suppers are dinner party-worthy, but we’ve shared this Ritz cracker chicken recipe with guests many times. The most common feedback: “Can we steal your recipe?” It’s all yours, in this guide for making an ultra-easy chicken casserole. It’s also the perfect round-two recipe (although no one needs to know). The aptly-named hot and cheesy casserole puts leftover chicken and rice to use, and also asks for frozen peas, frozen broccoli, two kinds of canned soup, canned diced green chiles, and a Ritz cracker coating.
Maryland Fried Chicken
The usual factor that makes Maryland Fried Chicken stand out is its creamy gravy, which is either served already drizzled on top or in a bowl or boat on the side. Think of this like chicken fried steak, just with chicken instead. We’ll coach you through how to make that classic gravy, and we’re also ramping up the crunch factor on the chicken itself. You can probably guess the secret texture-booster: finely-crushed saltine or Ritz crackers.
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