Poppy seeds are tiny kidney-shaped seeds that are commonly used as a topping or filling in various baked food items. They are harvested from opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) seed pods, and have been cultivated for centuries. Adding them to our diet provides numerous positive health benefits. A single serving provides 13%, 7%, and 5%, of daily recommended amounts of dietary fiber, calcium, and iron, respectively. The following enticing chicken recipes will surely satiate your taste buds. Poppy Seed with Chicken Ingredients

• 5 to 6, skinless chicken breasts
• 8 oz., sour cream
• 1 (8 oz.) can, cream of chicken soup
• 1 teaspoon, poppy seeds (add more if required)
• 2, celery stalks
• 2 tablespoons, lemon juice
• 1 stick (½ cup), butter
• Ritz crackers
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation In a boiler, boil the chicken breasts with the celery stalks, in salty water; let it simmer for a couple of hours. Once they are ready, transfer just the chicken to a large mixing bowl; shred it, before adding the cream of chicken soup to it. Now, add the sour cream, lemon juice, and ground pepper, to it, transferring the entire mixture to a casserole dish. Crush two stacks of Ritz crackers and sprinkle them over the top of the mixture, followed by the poppy seeds. Melt the butter and pour it evenly over the entire mixture. In a preheated oven, bake the chicken at 350 °F for 30 minutes and then serve hot with broccoli or any other green vegetable. Poppy Seed Chicken Pasta Salad Ingredients

• 12 oz., bow tie pasta (cooked)
• 4 to 6 oz., poppy seed dressing
• 2 cups, cooked chicken (boneless, chopped)
• 3 oz., slivered almonds
• ½ cup, celery (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup, green onion (chopped)
• 1 (6 oz.) packet, dried cranberries
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation Take a medium-sized bowl and mix the pasta, chicken, cranberries, celery, onion, and almonds, together. Stir in the dressing and flavor the salad with the salt and pepper; serve chilled. Lemon Chicken with Poppy Seeds Ingredients

• 6 to 8 oz., sour cream
• 2 pounds, cooked chicken (boneless, chopped)
• ½ teaspoon, poultry seasoning
• 1 can, cream of chicken soup
• 2 tablespoons, fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup, sliced mushrooms (optional)

For Topping

• 2 cups, buttery round crackers (crushed)
• 1 tablespoon, poppy seeds
• 1 stick (½ cup), butter (melted)

Preparation In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream, cream of chicken soup, lemon juice, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Now, add the chicken and mushrooms; stir well, gently. Spread the mixture on a slightly greased baking pan; mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle it over the chicken mixture. Bake this in a preheated oven at 350 °F for 25 to 30 minutes. Garnish the dish with sliced lemons and serve it hot over rice. These recipes are not only scrumptious, but also easy to prepare. Since most of the ingredients are easily available, try preparing them at home and surprise your family and friends.