Name: Swiss Cheese Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1¾ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts ((pounded out to even thickness)); ¾ teaspoon garlic powder; ¾ teaspoon onion powder; ¼ teaspoon salt; ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 4 slices deli Swiss cheese; One 10.5-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup; ⅓ cup sour cream; ½ cup milk; ⅔ cup crushed Ritz crackers ((about 12 crackers)); 2 tablespoons butter, (melted)

Swiss Cheese Chicken is an easy baked chicken dinner made with seasoned chicken breasts, Swiss cheese, a creamy sauce and buttery Ritz cracker crumbs. It’s simple comfort food that takes just 15 minutes to get into the oven!

This is one of those chicken recipes that’s incredibly easy to put together but turns out much more interesting than plain baked chicken. The chicken cooks underneath slices of Swiss cheese and a creamy sauce made with cream of chicken soup and sour cream. Then everything is topped with buttery Ritz cracker crumbs that turn golden and crisp in the oven.

It’s warm, creamy, cheesy and exactly the kind of dinner that works when you want something comforting without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

swiss cheese chicken in casserole dish with spoon taking out cheesy serving

Why You’ll Love Swiss Cheese Chicken

There’s a lot to love about this easy chicken dinner. It calls for simple ingredients that are easy to find, and most of the prep involves layering everything into a casserole dish.

The Swiss cheese melts over the chicken while it bakes, and the cream of chicken soup mixture creates a rich sauce to spoon over the chicken when serving. The buttery cracker topping adds a little crunch to an otherwise creamy dish.

Best of all, you only need about 15 minutes of prep time.

ingredients displayed for making swiss cheese chicken

Ingredients You’ll Need

Chicken breasts: Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts. If your chicken breasts are especially large or thick, you may want to cut them into smaller portions or pound them to an even thickness so they’ll cook more evenly.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper add flavor to the chicken before the toppings are added.
Swiss cheese: Deli-sliced Swiss cheese makes this especially easy. One slice goes over each portion of chicken.
Cream of chicken soup: Condensed cream of chicken soup is the base of the creamy sauce.
Sour cream: This makes the sauce extra creamy and adds a slight tanginess.
Milk: A little milk thins the sauce to the right consistency.
Ritz crackers: Crushed Ritz crackers make a delicious buttery topping. You’ll need about 12 crackers to get ⅔ cup of crumbs.
Butter: Melted butter helps the cracker crumbs become golden and crisp as the chicken bakes.

How to Make Swiss Cheese Chicken

Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 13×9-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
Arrange the chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Place a slice of Swiss cheese over each portion of chicken.
In a medium bowl, stir together the condensed cream of chicken soup, sour cream and milk. Pour the mixture evenly over the chicken and cheese.
Sprinkle the crushed Ritz crackers over the top. Spoon the melted butter evenly over the cracker crumbs.
Bake the chicken, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Spoon some of that creamy sauce from the casserole dish over each piece of chicken when serving.

white casserole dish of swiss cheese chicken

Recipe Tips

Pay attention to the thickness of your chicken. The 30-minute baking time works best with chicken breasts that aren’t extremely thick. Larger chicken breasts may take longer to cook. Or you can pound them out to even thickness.
Use a thermometer. Checking the internal temperature is the easiest way to know when your chicken is ready. Chicken is safely cooked when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Don’t crush the crackers too finely. Leaving a little texture in the Ritz crumbs gives you a better crunchy topping. Use the remaining Ritz crackers to make Ritz cracker chicken.
Add the butter evenly. Drizzling or spooning the melted butter across the cracker crumbs helps more of the topping become golden instead of leaving dry patches.
Let it rest briefly. Give the chicken about 5 minutes to rest after removing it from the oven. The sauce will thicken slightly as it sits.

Substitutions and Variations

You can use Gruyère in place of Swiss cheese if you’d like a slightly richer cheese flavor.
Cream of mushroom soup can also be substituted for the cream of chicken soup. It will change the flavor of the sauce, but it works well with chicken and Swiss cheese.
For a little extra flavor, add a small amount of dried thyme or Italian seasoning to the chicken along with the garlic and onion powders.
And if you don’t have Ritz crackers, another buttery round cracker can be used for the topping. Use those extra crackers to make Butter Cracker Chicken or Ritz Chicken Casserole.

What to Serve with Swiss Cheese Chicken

Since the chicken has plenty of creamy sauce, it’s especially good served with something that can soak it up. Mashed potatoes, steamed rice or egg noodles are all great choices. For vegetables, try roasted broccoli, green beans, asparagus or a simple green salad. Dinner rolls would be pretty great with this one too!

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover Swiss Cheese Chicken in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave, or cover the chicken with foil and warm it in the oven. Keep in mind that the Ritz topping will soften somewhat after refrigeration.

serving of swiss cheese chicken on plate

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I prepare Swiss Cheese Chicken ahead of time?

You can assemble the chicken, seasonings, cheese and creamy sauce several hours ahead of time and keep the casserole covered in the refrigerator. Wait to add the Ritz cracker crumbs and melted butter until just before baking so the topping doesn’t become soggy.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes. Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used, but the cooking time may differ. Cook them until they reach a safe internal temperature of 165°F.

How do I know when the chicken is done?

Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest portion of the chicken. It’s ready when the thermometer registers 165°F.

Can I use shredded Swiss cheese?

Yes, although sliced Swiss cheese is especially convenient because you can simply place one slice over each portion of chicken. If using shredded Swiss, sprinkle it evenly over the chicken before adding the creamy sauce.

Why is there liquid in the bottom of my casserole?

Chicken naturally releases some moisture as it cooks, so it’s normal to have sauce in the bottom of the dish. Letting the casserole rest for about 5 minutes after baking will allow the sauce to thicken a little.

Can Swiss Cheese Chicken be frozen?

You can freeze leftovers, but the creamy sauce and sour cream may change texture slightly after thawing. For the best texture, this is a recipe I’d recommend enjoying fresh or refrigerated rather than freezing.

fork taking up bite of swiss cheese chicken on plate

More Easy Chicken Recipes

If you love simple baked chicken dinners like this one, look for other easy chicken casserole and oven-baked chicken recipes on RecipeGirl. I especially love our recipes for Cranberry Chicken, Baked Cornflake Chicken and Light Chicken Parmesan. They’re perfect for busy weeknights when you want a comforting dinner without a lot of prep.

Swiss Cheese Chicken is definitely an easy dinner to keep in your back pocket. The chicken stays tucked underneath all that melted Swiss cheese and creamy sauce, and the buttery Ritz cracker topping is the perfect finishing touch. Add mashed potatoes and a vegetable, and dinner is done!