My mom was in a group for parents where she met some of her longtime best friends, and that’s where this recipe stems from. She got this recipe from one of those friends, and since then I’ve put my own twist on it.

When it was my ‘birthday week’ and I got to choose dinner and all too often, I’d request this dish. It isn’t the healthiest, but if you want a hearty home-cooked meal that reheats pretty well, this is for you. 

Ingredients:

• 3 whole chicken breasts, boneless skinless
• 10 ounces sour cream (but an 8-ounce container will do) 
• 1 can cream of chicken soup 
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 3 tubes crackers
• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• Various spices, including pepper

I also like to add in some extra veggies if I have some laying around, so here are my favorites. I usually choose one, but you can surely throw in multiple or ones not listed here:

• 2 celery stalks, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 bushel green onions, chopped (optional)

Steps:

1. Cook the chicken — with a plethora of spices — in a pan. Putting a lid over the chicken while it cooks will help ensure the meat stays juicy and doesn’t burn on the outside before the inside is cooked. Remember that the chicken will be put in a very plain sauce so you want to over-season it at this step, and I cannot stress that enough.
2. Shred the chicken. I use two forks and a bowl that won’t scratch.
3. Add the sour cream, cream of chicken and cream of celery into the bowl. Sprinkle in the minced garlic, pepper and about half of the shredded cheese. Mix until it appears consistent.
4. Crush one tube of crackers and line the bottom of your dish. I prefer to use glass. 
5. Using a rubber scraper, scoop out the chicken and sauce mixture into the cracker-lined pan. It will be difficult to move it around without disrupting the crackers, so try to spread it out as you put it in before you smooth it with the scraper.
6. Sprinkle the remaining half of the shredded cheese over the top of the mixture.
7. Crush the remaining two tubes of crackers and sprinkle it over the cheese.
8. Melt the butter (I like to use a glass measuring cup in the microwave) and pour it over the top of the crackers as evenly as you can.
9. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the crackers are a light golden brown. Enjoy! 

This is a lot of food for one person, so feel free to wrap the casserole dish in aluminum foil and put it in the fridge — servings for meals to come can be easily reheated in the toaster oven or microwave!