“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” H. Van Horne
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole
In John 21:15-19, Jesus asks Peter repeatedly if he loves Him. And every time Peter assents that, yes, he does love Jesus, our Lord gives Peter the same directive. He tells him, “Feed my lambs,” or “Feed my sheep.” I believe when you feed His sheep, you edify the body of Christ and thus, the act of cooking and delivering “care meals” to others becomes a ministry.
I've enjoyed and been blessed to prepare and deliver "care meals" to a wide span of people including the elderly neighbor, the ill friend (or their family members), a grieving family (or spouse), and occasionally the newcomer to the neighborhood who enjoys a welcome gift. I’m not trying to be an individual “meals on wheels” or a church “soup kitchen” … I’m simply trying to provide nourishing food, within the span of my available resources, to a limited number of individuals who might be too shy to ask but will gladly accept “care meals.”
Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole has long been my 'go to' recipe for care meals. I first began taking it to church covered dish dinners and then I gradually began using it to take 'care meals' to sick friends and elderly neighbors and even my late mother before she went into assisted living. The recipe couldn't be more simple and it is quick from prep to out-of-the-oven ... even the clean up is a breeze.
To be blunt, I am not thrilled about several of the nutritional facts for the recipe but for each negative there are equal or more positives. The saturated fat is high, the cholesterol is high but, on the good side, the sodium is low, the carbs are low, and the protein is sky high. Just the protein amount alone makes this an ideal, if not perfect, recipe to be delivered as a "care meal."
Ingredients
Instructions
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Boil the chicken, preferably in chicken broth, until done (i.e. 160-165 degrees F).
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After it cools a bit, using a knife and fork, cut the chicken into small bite size cubes (1/2 inch to 5/8 inch).
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the first four ingredients and stir well.
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Pour the mixture into a lightly greased Pyrex dish if serving for home dining or, one or more aluminum pans if preparing as a "care meal(s)".
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Melt the butter in a measuring cup. Pour the crackers into a large ziplock plastic bag and crush them; add the 1/2 tablespoon of poppy seeds, then, pour in the melted butter and mix well.
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Spread the butter cracker crumbs atop the chicken mixture.
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Bake for about 45 minutes at 350-degrees F. Remove from oven and serve while hot if dining at home or allow it to cool if preparing as a "care meal".
Serving Size 1 cup
Servings 8
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 403kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 22g34%
- Saturated Fat 11g56%
- Cholesterol 127mg43%
- Sodium 392mg17%
- Potassium 661mg19%
- Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
- Sugars 3g
- Protein 34g68%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
About pans & dishes ... If I were preparing this recipe for my family's dinner, I would be using a 9" x 9" or 11" x 7" baking dish per the instructions. Since this particular recipe is to be utilized for "care meals," I am using 5" x 6" aluminum baking pans with clear lids as shown in the photographs.