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Classic Southern Chicken Dressing

This buttery, sage-kissed Southern chicken dressing is the crispy-topped, moist-inside casserole that disappears first at every holiday table. Tender rotisserie chicken and day-old cornbread soak up savory broth for pure comfort in every bite.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups yellow or white cornmeal
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp sugar optional
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
Dressing
  • 3 –4 cups shredded cooked chicken rotisserie recommended
  • 6 –7 cups cornbread crumbles from above
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 stalks celery diced
  • ½ cup unsalted butter plus 2 Tbsp for topping
  • 2 –3 tsp dried sage or 2 Tbsp fresh
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt adjust to taste
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 3 –4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or 1 can cream of chicken soup

Method
 

  1. Bake the Cornbread (skip if using store-bought)
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease an 8×8-inch pan. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter. Combine wet and dry just until mixed—lumps are okay. Pour into pan and bake 20–25 minutes until golden and a toothpick is clean. Cool completely, then crumble. (Best done a day ahead.)
  3. Sauté the Aromatics
  4. Melt ½ cup butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion and celery; cook 8–10 minutes until soft and fragrant. Season lightly with salt.
  5. Mix the Dressing
  6. In a very large bowl, combine cornbread crumbles, shredded chicken, sautéed veggies (with butter), sage, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust herbs. Whisk 2 eggs with 2 cups broth; pour over mixture and fold gently. Add more broth gradually until moist but not soupy—like thick oatmeal.
  7. Assemble & Bake
  8. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Spread mixture evenly. Dot with remaining 2 Tbsp butter. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15–20 minutes more until top is golden and edges bubble. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Make-Ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours ahead; refrigerate. Add 10 extra minutes to covered bake time.
Gluten-Free: Use GF cornbread mix.
Vegetarian: Omit chicken, use veggie broth and sautéed mushrooms.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; reheat with a splash of broth.
Pro Tip: Day-old cornbread absorbs broth best—don’t skip the crumble step!