Description
This Shredded Chicken Sandwich with Creamy Ritz Cracker Spread is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chicken cooked in a rich blend of cream of chicken soup and chicken stock, combined with crispy Ritz crackers and seasonings to create a creamy, savory filling perfect for sandwiches. Prepared primarily in an Instant Pot for juicy, shredded chicken, this recipe offers variations for slow cooker and stovetop methods, making it versatile and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 sleeve crushed Ritz butter crackers (about 1-1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Instant Pot: Place the chicken breasts, chicken stock, and condensed cream of chicken soup into the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and ensure the vent is set to the ‘sealed’ position.
- Cook Chicken under Pressure: Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 10 minutes to cook the chicken until tender and easily shreddable.
- Release Pressure and Shred: After cooking, manually release the pressure. Remove the chicken breasts carefully and shred them using two forks. Leave the cooking juices inside the pot.
- Combine Ingredients: Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the cooking juices. Stir in the crushed Ritz crackers, dried parsley, garlic powder, black pepper, and kosher salt to taste, mixing everything thoroughly.
- Set Mixture: Let the mixture rest for 20 minutes to allow it to thicken and develop flavors. Adjust the consistency by adding more crushed crackers if the mixture is too thin or additional chicken stock if it is too thick.
- Serve: Spoon the creamy shredded chicken mixture onto sandwich buns. Serve hot and enjoy a juicy, flavorful sandwich.
- Slow Cooker Option: For an alternative method, place the chicken breasts, 1/4 cup chicken stock, and condensed cream of chicken soup in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Shred the chicken in the slow cooker, stir in the crushed crackers and seasonings, cover again and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Adjust thickness as needed before serving.
- Stovetop Option: On the stovetop, combine the condensed soup, 1 cup chicken stock, and seasonings in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add 2.5-3 pounds of pre-shredded or rotisserie chicken and warm through. Stir in the crushed crackers, adjusting thickness with crackers or stock as needed. Heat until mixture is creamy and hot, then serve.
Notes
- Adjust the salt and pepper according to your taste preference.
- Use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken for quicker preparation using the stovetop method.
- The resting time allows the crackers to absorb moisture, thickening the mixture to a perfect sandwich spread consistency.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute Ritz crackers with gluten-free buttery crackers.
- This recipe yields enough filling for approximately 10 sandwiches, depending on bun size and serving portions.
