Growing up on a small Iowa farm whose family raised chickens, you would have thought I would have tasted Poppy Seed Chicken before now, but nope, that is not the case. I have only eaten Poppy Seed Chicken twice in my life. The first was this past September 2023 at the home of an Amish family in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Shipshewana, Indiana, boosts the third-largest Amish community in the United States.
Poppy Seed Chicken is a simple casserole dish that is a creamy chicken dish made with white chicken meat. It is so good that you could easily eat more than one serving.
Yoder’s Homestyle Cooking
Henry and Carolyn Yoder, Yoder’s Homestyle Cooking, graciously open the doors of their beautiful home to visitors. The night I had dinner at the Yoder’s there was a bus group from Wisconsin, two individual travelers, the grandparents, and me.
The main course was Poppy Seed Chicken served with mashed potatoes creamed peas, and noodles.
It should come as no surprise that we had pie for dessert. The Amish are well-known for their pies. My favorite is the cream pies.
Everything was delicious, but the Poppy Seed Chicken was out-of-this-world. It seemed to melt in my mouth, and now, I can say with confidence that I really like eating white chicken meat.
After enjoying dinner and friendly conversation, we all went outside to watch the sun set over the lake. Stunning!
To make reservations, call 260-768-3078.
Recipe
If you Google Poppy Seed Chicken recipes, you will find variations, but all contain sour cream and cream of chicken soup. These two ingredients are the key to the creamy white sauce.
Now for the recipe that the Convention & Visitors Bureau shared with me. You will want to try it immediately. There are only six ingredients, and it only takes approximately one hour to make.
Ingredients
2 pounds white boneless chicken, 1-10 oz. can of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1 stick butter, and 1 1/2 cup Ritz crackers crushed.
Directions
Cup up the raw and boned chicken meat. Fry the chicken a little and put in 8″ X 8″ baking dish. Mix together the soup and sour cream. Pour over the chicken. Melt the butter and mix with crushed crackers. Put on top of the soup. Generously sprinkle with poppy seeds.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
The Farmhouse Eatery and Gifts
Attending a women’s retreat in Spring Grove, Minn., I couldn’t help but mention to anyone that would listen just how delicious Poppy Seed Chicken is.
During the workshop, I was surprised to learn that a popular restaurant, The Farmhouse Eatery and Gifts, in Caledonia, Minn. serves Poppy Seed Chicken. Their menu changes weekly, so I started to follow them on Facebook, and it wasn’t long before Poppy Seed Chicken was on the menu. It tasted the same and was as good as the Poppy Seed Chicken I enjoyed in Shipshewana.
At The Farmhouse Eatery and Gifts, the mouth-watering entrée comes with a fresh green salad, burgundy poppy seed salad dressing made in-house, and a freshly made oat bun can’t be beat.
A popular feature is the gift shop on the second floor of this quaint restored farmhouse. The inventory changes according to the season.
The Farmhouse Eatery and Gifts is located at 219 N. Kingston St. Caledonia, Minn. Follow them on Facebook or call 507-725-8581.
I highly recommend both Yoder’s Homestyle Cooking and The Farmhouse Eatery and Gifts.