Chicken and Dressing Casserole

A comfort food casserole recipe made with chicken (or leftover turkey) and Southern cornbread dressing with all the flavors of Thanksgiving that can be enjoyed year-round.

Photos and blog post updated 11/1/23  

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO RECIPE
2. FAQ ABOUT CHICKEN & DRESSING CASSEROLE
3. NOTES ABOUT MAKING THIS RECIPE

Every year at Thanksgiving, I’d ask myself WHY do we only eat turkey and/or cornbread dressing once a year? 

And every year I’d tell myself I would start cooking one or both more often. But I never did.

And THEN I started making this recipe and haven’t had to chastise myself for not keeping my word about making turkey and dressing more often.

Because this, my friends, scratches both itches AND it’s delicious AND a bazillion times easier than recreating my Thanksgiving favorites.

I first saw a recipe like this on Southern with a Twist, a Southern food blog my buddy Lynn runs. What drew my attention was Lynn puts chopped boiled eggs in hers – which I LOVE – but never really see very often on recipe sites.

Southerners (or at least my family) have been putting boiled eggs in our recipes forever. I never once saw a pot of Chicken & Dumplings at Nanny’s house that wasn’t loaded with sliced boiled eggs. And all the women in my family put chopped boiled eggs in our cornbread dressing.

Southerners sneak boiled eggs into stews, rice dishes, casseroles – really anything that makes a big batch. I suspect this was to add protein to dishes during lean times. 

Food sources in the South were ravaged after the Civil War. Sherman ordered all the crops and livestock to be destroyed so folks got pretty creative working with what they had. That’s why collard greens (and mustard, turnip, etc.) and peas are so popular here.

The Yankees didn’t realize the peas and greens were food when they were scorching the earth so the two sustained much of the South in the years directly following the war. To this day, collard greens and black-eyed peas are eaten here on New Year’s Day for good luck.

I don’t include the boiled eggs in my recipe but you can certainly add them. You should add them! I messed around and somehow married a Canadian, so I tweak a lot of old school, deep South recipes for his sake. 

FAQ ABOUT CHICKEN & DRESSING CASSEROLE

How much cornbread do I need?  Use a 6-serving mix or half a pan of most standard family-size cornbread recipes (which bake in a 13x9 pan). You can also use leftover cornbread muffins from your local meat-and-three restaurant or Cracker Barrel. 

Can I use Jiffy mix?  Yes, but I personally don’t love straight-up Jiffy cornbread in this because it’s a little too sweet but LOTS of people love it (I think most people make this with Jiffy mix). When I do use Jiffy mix, I add 1/2 cup sour cream to the batter which really knocks the sweetness down a bit.

Can I use leftover, canned or rotisserie chicken in this?  Yes, yes and yes! You’ll need to buy chicken broth to use since you won’t be making your own when you cook the chicken but I’ve done all three and they’re all great!

Is this a meal or a side dish?  I serve this as a meal but a lot of folks serve this at Thanksgiving as a side dish. It makes a GREAT potluck dish since it can be served as either.

Can I use Stove Top or Pepperidge Farm stuffing in this instead of cornbread?  Probably. You will likely need to add more broth since both of these are somewhat dehydrated. If using Stove Top, reduce the salt since it’s already pretty heavily seasoned.

Don’t you want gravy with it?  Well, I ain’t never turned down gravy and I’m not about to start now but, no, I don’t make gravy to serve with this. This is super moist so it doesn’t really need anything but, gravy is never wrong. Ever. You could use a packet of gravy mix or a jar if you want something quick and easy.

Can I make this with turkey?  Of course you can!

Would cranberry sauce be good served with this?  Well, since I don’t like cranberry sauce, my answer would be heck no but I imagine folks who traditionally enjoy cranberry sauce with turkey and dressing would love it with this.

NOTES ABOUT MAKING THIS RECIPE FOR CHICKEN & DRESSING CASSEROLE

• The reason I specify to use a smaller saucepan when cooking the chicken is so you don’t have to use more water than necessary. The less water you use, the more flavorful the broth is.
• Once the chicken is cooked, you will most likely have more than 2 cups of broth so you’ll definitely want to measure the broth. 
• Feel free to use leftover, canned or rotisserie chicken and prepared chicken broth or bullion.
• Diced boiled eggs are SCRUMPTIOUS in this and very much in keeping with the southern tradition of adding boiled eggs to cornbread dressing. 
• This is very moist and doesn’t need gravy but feel free to serve gravy on the side. Gravy is never wrong. Ever.
• I like Campbells Cream of Chicken with Herbs condensed soup best but regular cream of chicken is great too.
• Substitute cream of mushroom, celery or onion for the cream of chicken if desired.

Recipe for How to Cook Grits

Chicken & Dressing Casserole

Yield: 6-8 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

A comfort food casserole recipe made with chicken (or leftover turkey) and Southern cornbread dressing with all the flavors of Thanksgiving that can be enjoyed year-round.

Ingredients

• 2-3 large chicken breasts
• 1 8x8 pan of cornbread, cooled
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 10-oz can cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Instructions

1. Add chicken breasts to a saucepan (the smallest pan you can fit them in so that 2 cups of water will cover or mostly cover them). Add water, salt and pepper. Cover then bring to a boil. Once, boiling, reduce heat to low then cook for 30 minutes or until cooked through (larger, bone-in breasts may take longer).
2. Remove chicken from pot to cool, reserving 2 cups of broth.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Combine 2 cups reserved broth, cream of chicken soup (do not prepare first) and poultry seasoning then whisk until smooth; set aside.
5. Sauté celery and onion in butter for 5 minutes then add to a large mixing bowl.
6. Shred or cut chicken into bite-sited pieces, add to bowl with vegetables then stir to combine.
7. Crumble cornbread into bowl with chicken and vegetables then pour in broth mixture. Gently fold to combine all ingredients. Taste for seasoning then add more salt, pepper or poultry seasoning if desired.
8. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. All of the ingredients are cooked (and there are no raw eggs, etc.) so we really just need to heat everything through and get a little color on the top.

Notes

• The reason I specify to use a smaller saucepan is so you don’t have to use more water than necessary. The less water you use, the more flavorful the broth is.
• Once the chicken is cooked, you will most likely have more than 2 cups of broth so you’ll definitely want to measure the broth.
• Add sage if you'd like! I'm a "less is more" kinda gal when it comes to sage and the Poultry Seasoning has just enough in it for me but if you love sage, go for it!
• Feel free to use leftover, canned or rotisserie chicken and prepared chicken broth or bullion.
• Diced boiled eggs are SCRUMPTIOUS in this and very much in keeping with the southern tradition of adding boiled eggs to cornbread dressing.
• This is very moist and doesn’t need gravy but feel free to serve gravy on the side. Gravy is never wrong. Ever.
• I like Campbells Cream of Chicken with Herbs condensed soup best but regular cream of chicken is great too.
• Substitute cream of mushroom, celery or onion for the cream of chicken if desired.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2014/08/chicken-and-dressing-casserole.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2014

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