This is probably one of the easiest – and tastiest – recipes I have ever encountered. You combine buttery crackers with juicy fresh chicken to create a low sodium dinner that your whole family will enjoy. The best part is, this low salt meal comes together with very little effort on your part!
One of the challenges of cooking a low sodium meal is that you don’t want anyone gathered at your table to feel they are having to suffer through a bland dinner. Have no fear with this recipe! Nobody ever guesses that this is a chicken dish low in salt.
Not only does Ritz Cracker Chicken come together with a handful of ingredients, but it pairs well with a variety of side dishes. Serve it up with a cup of carrot soup or, my personal favorite, some low sodium garlic mashed potatoes.
While it may not be the fanciest of meals, your family will fall in love with this tasty dish. The simple combination of Ritz “Hint of Salt” Crackers and butter creates a wonderfully crispy exterior with an incredibly juicy and tender interior. I assure you this recipe will become part of your go-to-meal rotation.
Low Sodium Ritz Cracker Chicken
This is probably one of the easiest - and tastiest - recipes I have ever encountered. You combine buttery crackers with juicy fresh chicken to create a low sodium dinner that your whole family will enjoy.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins (you can also use thin cut filets)
- 1 sleeve of Ritz “Hint of Salt” Crackers, crushed into crumbs
- 1 stick of unsalted butter
- teaspoon salt-free Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Melt your butter in the microwave using a microwave-safe wide-mouth bowl
- Crush the sleeve of crackers and pour them into a wide-mouth bowl. Add Italian seasoning and gently stir to blend them together.
- Dip your chicken in the butter, coating both sides.
- Transfer chicken into the crackers and coat the meat. Press chicken into the crackers to get the coating to stick. You want to make sure every inch of that chicken is covered in your crackers and spice mixture.
- Place your coated chicken in a 9x13 pan sprayed with nonstick. If you have leftover crackers, mix a bit of butter with those crackers and sprinkle over top of the chicken.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of your chicken is 165 degrees.
Notes
- The recipe calls for melting a whole stick of butter. I always do that, just in case I need it, but rarely do I ever come close to using it all.
- Want to take this dish to a whole new level? Once you plate your chicken, drizzle a bit of pure maple syrup over the chicken for an out-of-this-world flavor combination. Your dish will become reminiscent of chicken and waffles, but without having to cook up waffles! This isn’t in the recipe, but I serve it this way all the time to rave reviews.
- I prefer to use chicken tenderloins or a thin-cut chicken breast filet. The uniform thickness of these cuts ensures all your pieces of chicken are finished cooking at the same time.
- Sanderson Farms is one of many brands that sell chicken with no added salt. But there are numerous chicken farmers that pump salty water into their chicken. So always check the label before you put that chicken in your shopping cart…or buggy, whichever you prefer to call it.
- The amount of chicken used in this recipe is really dependent on the number of people you are feeding. The recipe calls for a pound or two of chicken, but you can easily scale up or down to meet the needs of your household.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 4 ounces Amount Per Serving Calories 393Total Fat 21gSaturated Fat 11gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 169mgSodium 85mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 47gNutritional information is provided as an estimate. Nutritional content may vary due to several factors such as how much of an ingredient is used vs. how much will actually be eaten, brand differences, and more. To ensure the most accurate nutritional information, the reader should make calculations based on the ingredients actually used, using their own preferred method, or consulting with a licensed nutritional expert. This Website is not intended as a source of nutritional or food safety advice, and its readers assume full responsibility for any decisions made regarding their own health and safety. Nutritional information calculated by Nutritionix
I’ve been looking for family friendly low sodium recipes and this was the jackpot! It not only tasted great (picky eater approved) but it was super easy! Also you can serve any side with it, I did sheet pan potatoes and broccoli with no salt seasoning.
Corie, I’m happy to hear this was picky eater approved! This is one of my go-to dinners because of how easy it is. I’ll have to try some sheet pan potatoes next time. Thanks for the tip.
The sodium content in this recipe depends on the brand of chicken you buy. Most people buy whatever their grocery provides, and they do not have much choice. A sleeve of Ritz has about 210mg sodium, so also depends on how many servings you get out of the amount of chicken you use. Not everyone has access to fresh chicken from an organic farmer. Organic is best but is pricey, with today’s meat prices, people again don’t have much choice. Of course, anyone watching sodium knows these things, and are aware of any recipe ingredients they have to modify or leave out. Then too they have to take into consideration what they serve with this recipe as sides in the sodium total count. This recipe does sound good though. Just a comment.
Hello Corie. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. You are absolutely correct when you point out that chicken can fluctuate in sodium depending on the farmer. A 4 ounce serving of chicken – without added salt – should have around 45 mg of sodium. Sanderson Farms, which is sold at Walmart, has no added salt is very affordable. One thing I would point out is that Hint of Salt Ritz has 150 mg of sodium per sleeve of crackers. Hope you enjoy this recipe!
So happy to find this recipe! My doctor has me on a low sodium diet and I’m finding it is difficult to find recipes. So many recipes that are published as “healthy” or “for diabetics” are loaded with sodium. Anyway, this recipe was easy to make and a joy to eat! Instead of the Italian seasoning, I used smoked sweet paprika and garlic powder (about 1/2 teaspoon each) added to the ritz crumbs. Then I pounded my tenderloins slightly, to get them more uniform in thickness. I baked mine on a parchment paper lined sheet pan at 375 for 15 minutes then flipped them over and cooked another 15 minutes. They came out golden and crispy and very delicious.
Hi Susan,
You are right, many so-called “healthy” are often packed with salt. I’m really happy you enjoyed the Ritz Cracker Bake. And I really like how you made it your own. I’m going to try “Susan’s Ritz Cracker Bake” very soon because the garlic and paprika sound delicious. Thanks for taking the time to leave a message.
Mike