Easy Southern Cornbread Dressing with Chicken
This classic Southern Cornbread Chicken and Dressing is a tradition in the South during the holiday season. It’s an old-fashioned, tried-and-true recipe that has been served in my home for over 35 years. Drizzle with some brown gravy and serve for Sunday dinner, Thanksgiving, or any other occasion.
Southern Style Chicken and Dressing was my mother-in-law’s chicken and dressing recipe. She made it every Thanksgiving and Christmas and was known for it. I have been eating this dressing for 35 years; my husband is even longer. I hope one day, my children will serve this to their families for Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday of the year. There is no tree to decorate, baskets to fill, or presents to buy, only delicious food. My family always looks forward to this chicken dressing alongside candied sweet potatoes, rice dressing, and, of course, sweet potato pie.
While the Thanksgiving Day parade is on the television, I’m usually busy in the kitchen preparing dinner. The aroma slowly drifts from the kitchen throughout the house, exciting everyone for the feast. This recipe is simple, just like my recipe on How To Roast a Turkey, and can be prepped a day in advance, making it even easier to prepare on Thanksgiving.
Why You’ll Love Southern Chicken and Dressing
- This is the best southern cornbread dressing recipe and is not your boxed stuffing by any means. It is made from scratch, and it begins with homemade cornbread. Prepping everything the day before will make this a snap to prepare.
- This makes a large pan of cornbread dressing and will easily feed a crowd for the holidays.
- This recipe leaves room for some of your favorite herbs and spices. I don’t use sage in my chicken and dressing but feel free to throw some in if you like.
How Is Cornbread Dressing with Chicken Different from Stuffing
The real difference between cornbread dressing and stuffing is how and where it is cooked. Stuffing is stuffed inside the turkey and cooked as the turkey cooks. It is more bread-based than cornbread dressing and tends to be chunkier. This chicken dressing recipe is prepared with cornbread as the base and is usually served alongside the turkey as a side dish. Most people in the South prefer chicken cornbread dressing.
Stuffing and cornbread dressing are not the same thing, especially to Southerners. Cornbread dressing features cornbread and stuffing usually has a mix of different cubed breads. Chicken dressing is cooked in a casserole dish, and stuffing is usually stuffed inside a bird.
Chicken and Dressing is the perfect side dish for a roasted turkey. Be sure to check out How to Cook a Turkey in a Bag. It’s a foolproof method that will turn out perfect every time.
Chicken Dressing Ingredients
This southern chicken and cornbread dressing has simple ingredients, making it a snap for the holidays. It is an easy chicken and dressing recipe prepared in a large casserole dish. It’s great for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Sunday dinners.
Cornbread is a super simple recipe that only requires a few ingredients: egg, cornmeal, buttermilk, and oil. I like to bake cornbread in a cast iron skillet until golden brown. Cool and then crumble.
For The Dressing:
Chicken—I usually boil and chop my chicken, and I’ve used a rotisserie chicken to cut down on time. I have used chicken thighs, breasts, tenders, and a combination of white and dark meat.
Onion – A yellow, white, or Vidalia onion will all work fine. Use what you have in the refrigerator.
Butter – Need I say more? Everything is better with butter.
Cream of Mushroom Soup – This adds a bit of creaminess to the Dressing. Feel free to swap Cream of Chicken Soup if desired.
Eggs – These are necessary and act as a binder. Medium to large eggs are recommended.
Milk – I use whole milk for this recipe.
Cornbread – Baked and crumbled cornbread is the base for this Dressing. This is also a great time to throw in a few leftover biscuits or some crumbled white or stale bread.
Chicken Broth – Save the chicken broth from the boiled chicken. If you don’t have broth, use a good store-bought brand. This adds a lot of flavor to the dressing.
Salt/ Black Pepper – Season as desired with salt and black pepper. You might also add a little poultry seasoning and garlic powder.
Be sure to try my Candied Sweet Potatoes for a delicious side dish.
How to Make Easy Chicken and Dressing
For complete instructions on making homemade chicken dressing, see the printable recipe card below.
Preheat the oven while you mix the ingredients.
Mix ingredients: Mix the cornbread mixture in a large bowl or two large bowls. This makes a lot, so I use two bowls to ensure everything is mixed well.
Pour into a large casserole dish or two. You may need to divide the mix into two dishes if you don’t have a large baking dish. The dressing needs to be soupy before it bakes. Add more chicken stock if it’s not wet enough.
Bake at 450 degrees until brown on top, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cooking this in one pan may take up to an hour.
Recipe Notes: Just keep a check on the chicken dressing. When the top begins to brown, remove it from the oven and allow it to sit for about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Can I Add Other Bread To the Dressing Mix?
This recipe uses homemade cornbread as the base. Feel free to add leftover biscuits, white bread, or stale bread to the cornbread mixture. Sometimes, I might add a few day-old biscuits or some pieces of cubed bread. Typically, I use day-old cornbread for this recipe. I bake it the day before (or two days before) and store it in the fridge uncovered. This makes it a little drier and absorbs all of the flavors of the dressing as it cooks.
Can I Prepare This Recipe In Advance?
This is an easy cornbread dressing with chicken, but the more you prep it in advance, the better. I like preparing everything the day before and placing it in separate containers or bags in the fridge overnight. This makes the dressing super easy to grab, mix, and bake the next day.
For a great twist on Pumpkin Pie, be sure to check out my No-Bake Pumpkin Pie recipe. It’s light, fluffy, creamy, and delicious. It comes together in minutes and is family-approved.
Tips for Making Southern-Style Chicken and Dressing
This is a classic Southern old-fashioned cornbread dressing. These tips will help you reduce the time and stress of preparing a great-tasting meal for the holidays.
- Prepare everything at least a day before baking the dressing. This includes cooking and chopping the chicken, baking and crumbling the cornbread, chopping the onion, pouring and refrigerating the broth.
- To cut down on time, use a rotisserie chicken. If you use a bought and cooked chicken, you will need to buy a good broth for the dressing or make chicken broth from scratch.
- Store everything together in the refrigerator to make gathering ingredients fast and easy.
- Refrigerate or freeze leftovers in an airtight container. This will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
No Thanksgiving or Christmas is complete unless there is Green Bean Casserole, Roasted Turkey, or Cranberry Sauce on the table. All homemade and easy to make.
How To Store, Reheat, and Freeze Leftovers
The leftover dressing is amazing! I allow the dressing to cool to room temperature, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate for 3-4 days. To Freeze: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze. This will last for several months in the freezer. To reheat: thaw completely and heat in the oven or microwave.
FAQs
Chicken and Dressing is a dish made with cooked chicken and other flavorful ingredients. It is typically served during the holidays for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It is easy enough to prepare for year-round enjoyment.
Yes, you can freeze leftover chicken and Dressing. Cool leftovers to room temperature, wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place into an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze. This will keep for several months in the freezer. To reheat, thaw completely and heat in the oven or microwave.
This recipe uses homemade cornbread as the base. You can add crumbled leftover biscuits, white bread, or stale bread to the cornbread mixture.
Yes, you can cook the chicken in advance. I usually prep all the ingredients the day before making this dish. Boil the chicken, cool it, chop it, and place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days in advance.
More Southern Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
Check out 23 Southern Side Dishes to serve for Thanksgiving for more side dish options. There is something for everyone at the table.
Southern Fried Okra
Sweet Potato Casserole
More Holiday Desserts
Old-Fashioned Spice Cake with Raisins
Southern Buttermilk Pie Recipe
No Bake Triple Layer Pumpkin Pie
If you are looking for a special cake or pie, my Carrot Cake is amazing, and my Sweet Potato Pie is out of this world. They always go fast!
For more Thanksgiving Side Dishes, be sure to check out this post.
If you need a Centerpiece for your table, I have an easy way to decorate it. These Thanksgiving Table Decorating Ideas will inspire you and wow your guests.
Take the stress out of your day with 10 Thanksgiving Hacks to make your day stress-free.
Southern Style Chicken and Dressing
Ingredients
Cornbread
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 cups cornmeal
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup oil
Chicken and Dressing
- 1 package (about10) chicken thighs or 1 package of chicken breast (about 6) Boil, skin, debone, chop.
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 can 10.5 oz cream of mushroom soup
- 6 Eggs beaten
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- cornbread
- 2 quarts chicken broth
Instructions
Cornbread
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a cast iron skillet or baking pan with oil and place in the oven to heat. Meanwhile, mix up the cornbread batter. Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add cornmeal mix, buttermilk, and oil. Stir well. Pour batter into heated skillet and place back in the oven. Cook for about 25 minutes or until golden brown on the top. Remove from the oven and turn out onto a plate to cool. You will need to make 2 pans of cornbread. Set Aside.
Chicken and Dressing
- While the cornbread is baking, boil the chicken.
- Boil 1 package chicken thighs (about 10) or 1 package of chicken breast (about 6) until tender. Cool, skin, debone and chop. Save broth.
- Crumble cornbread in a large pan or bowl. I use 2 bowls because there is so much to mix up.
- Add: 1 large chopped onion, 1 stick melted butter, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 6 beaten eggs, 1 1/2 cups milk, chopped chicken. Pour enough broth to make the mixture thin. You don’t want it too soupy, but you do want it thin. I usually use close to 2 quarts.
- Salt and Pepper to taste.
- Pour into 1 or 2 casserole dishes and bake at 450 degrees until brown on top, about 45 min to 1 hour. If you are cooking this in one pan, it may take up to an hour. Just keep a check on it and when the top begins to brown remove from the oven and allow to sit about 10-15 minutes before serving.
Hi Gina,
I recently tried the Southern Style Chicken and Dressing from your blog, and it was absolutely delicious! The homemade cornbread combined with tender chicken created a perfect blend of flavors and textures. I was particularly impressed with how the creaminess of the mushroom soup brought everything together. It’s definitely a recipe that makes you feel at home and is perfect for any family gathering. I’m already looking forward to making it again – it’s a real crowd-pleaser! Thank you for sharing such a wonderful recipe.
Cheers,
Kimberly
I’ve lived in the South my entire life and I can say that this chicken and dressing is Southern-approved! Yum!
Now this is my kind of comfort food! Served this for dinner and it was a hit all around the table; easily, a new family favorite recipe!
This Southern chicken and dressing looks and sounds wonderful! Making this for my family ASAP!
I grew up in the south and then moved north before I was old enough to learn how to cook. I really miss southern food so much! I’m really looking forward to trying this!
I love when family recipes are passed down through the generations. Our parents and grandparents were great cooks long before we learned all the shortcuts!
This reminds me of a dish I grew up on..but never had with the cornbread topping. Game changer! Can’t wait to try.
This was delicious! It was my first time making dressing with cream of mushroom soup, and I’ll never go back!
Love how rich and comforting this dish is! Perfect for the holidays!