This Ritz Cracker Chicken is juicy and tender with a crispy, cheesy Ritz coating. Air-fry, bake or pan-fry it for a ridiculously delicious dinner!
If you’re looking to shake up your chicken dinner routine, you’re in the right place. The buttery Ritz coating and sharp cheddar make every bite outrageously good, and the best part is you can cook it in multiple different ways. Simple ingredients, minimal fuss and a dinner that’s genuinely worth making. Follow me…
Ingredients Notes
This recipe comes together with a handful of ingredients, a lot of which you might already have knocking around the cupboards! The full measurements can be found in the recipe card below, but here are a few notes on the key ingredients:
- Mature cheddar is a must – Mature/sharp cheddar will offer heaps more flavour than mild. Freshly grate it yourself if you can, as it melts into the coating much better than pre-shredded cheese.
- Ranch dressing adds more than just flavour – It also helps bind the coating. If you don’t have it, mayonnaise makes a great substitute.
- A little extra seasoning goes a long way – Onion powder and garlic powder subtly boost the flavour without overpowering the buttery Ritz crackers. Salt and pepper also give essential seasoning for the chicken.
Preparing Ritz Cracker Chicken
For this recipe, we’ll be butterflying the breasts right through to create 4 even-sized cutlets. This will not only ensure the chicken cooks through more evenly, but it’ll also cook through quicker too. This is important so the crumb doesn’t burn before the chicken cooks. From there, the preparation takes place in two steps:
- Wet batter – just whisk the egg, flour and ranch to make a batter. You can then dunk the chicken straight in there. This is what will help the crispy coating stick to the chicken.
- Crumb – this is crushed Ritz crackers, cheddar and seasoning. You can crush the Ritz crackers in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin or mallet, but I typically just do it with my hands.
It’s important not to crush the crackers into dust; you want some of the larger pieces to create a craggy, crispy coating.
Process hots: slice chicken (photos 1&2), make wet batter (photo 3), coat chicken (photo 4), make crumb (photo 5), coat chicken (photo 6).
Recipe Tip
Really make sure you press the crumb into the meat so it sticks and coats all of the chicken. From there, handle carefully so the batter doesn’t fall off.
How to cook Ritz Cracker Chicken
I tested cooking the chicken in 3 different ways, all of which produced truly delicious chicken. Here’s what I found, if you’re deciding which method to choose:
- Pan Fry – this will produce the crispiest chicken. You do need to shallow-fry it, so it’s a little more hands-on. You’ll also likely need to work in batches.
- Bake – this is probably the easiest method. The chicken doesn’t come out quite as crispy, but it’s still delicious. Baking will likely take the longest time too.
- Air Fry – again, this still doesn’t come out quite as crispy as pan-frying, but it’s a great option if you have an air fryer large enough to fit 4 cutlets in at once.
Serving and Storage Suggestions
With all methods, I recommend resting the chicken on a wire rack for a few minutes (they’ll crisp up a little more as they cool). I also recommend a good pinch of flaky sea salt for a final layer of seasoning.
- Serving – here I’ve served with Ranch and a Side Salad, alongside some Fries and Coleslaw. Mac and Cheese (or Cheesy Orzo), Potato Salad and Wedges would all be great too.
- Storage – allow to completely cool, then store in the fridge for a few days or freeze long-term. Thaw in the fridge if frozen, then reheat in the air fryer or oven at a lower temp until piping hot and crisp again.
Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this Ritz cracker chicken shall we?!
How to make Ritz Cracker Cheddar Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)
Ritz Cracker Cheddar Chicken
Equipment
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Large Shallow Dish (for coating chicken in wet batter)
- Large Curved Plate or Tray (for coating chicken in dry crumb)
- Large Pan & Tongs, Large Baking Tray & Baking Paper or Air Fryer (for cooking chicken)
- Wire Rack (for resting chicken)
Ingredients
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tbsp Plain/All Purpose Flour
- 1 tbsp Ranch Dressing (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 5.3oz / 150g Ritz Crackers
- 2.6oz / 75g / (~3/4 cup) grated Cheddar (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Garlic Powder
- 2x 7-8oz/200-225g Chicken Breasts, take out of the fridge ~30mins before needed
- 1/2 cup / 120ml Vegetable Oil, or as needed (if pan-frying)
- Oil Spray (if baking/air-frying)
- Flaky Sea Salt, to serve
Instructions
- Crush the Ritz crackers into a coarse crumb. Bits of larger, craggly pieces are absolutely fine (and actually add great texture), so don't worry about making the crumbs perfectly even. To do this, you can use your hands, a zip-lock bag and rolling pin, or even a food processor. Combine the Ritz crumbs on a large curved plate or tray with the cheddar, onion powder and garlic powder. Place to one side.
- In a large shallow dish, whisk the egg, flour, ranch, salt and pepper until completely smooth. Place to the left of the crumb mixture.
- To the left of that, place the chicken breasts on the chopping board and horizontally slice them right through the centre to create 4 even-sized cutlets. If any of them are notably uneven, just use cling film and a rolling pin to gently pound the thicker part to even them out.
- Take a cutlet and coat it in the wet mix, let it hang and drip for a few seconds, then place it into the dry mix. Use your hands to coat the chicken and really press in the crumb to ensure all of the chicken is completely covered. Place to one side, then repeat with the remaining cutlets.
- To Pan-Fry: add enough oil to comfortably coat the base of a large (preferably heavy-based) pan. Turn the heat to medium/medium-high. Once hot (a crumb should rapidly sizzle), carefully add the cutlets. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until deep golden and visibly crispy. The crumb can burn quite quickly, so be vigilant and lower the heat if you notice it browning too quickly (use tongs to peek and check). Place on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to catch excess oil. Note: you may need to work in two batches, and the safe internal temp for chicken is 165F/74C (keep in mind it'll carry on cooking a little more as it rests).
- To Air-Fry: carefully place the chicken in the air fryer and generously spray the top with oil. Cook at 400F/200C for 7 minutes, then carefully flip the chicken and spray with more oil. Cook for a further 5-8 minutes, or until deep golden, crisp and cooked through the centre. All air fryers work a little differently, so if you notice it browning too quickly, just drop the heat a little. Again, you may need to work in batches.
- To Bake: preheat the oven to 400F/200C. Line a large baking tray with baking/parchment paper and space out the chicken. Generously spray the top with oil and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken, spray with more oil and bake for a further 7-10 minutes, or until golden, crisp and cooked through the centre.
- In all cases, the chicken will crisp up a little more as it cools. I like to finish with a good pinch of flaky sea salt, then tuck in and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Your Private Notes:
Nutrition
Looking for more?
You’ll find plenty more delicious comfort food like this in my Debut Cookbook ‘Comfy’
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