Description
This Southern Cornbread Dressing is a comforting and flavorful classic side dish featuring moist cornbread mixed with tender shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, savory herbs, and creamy soups. Baked until golden and set, it’s perfect for holiday gatherings or a hearty everyday meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Cornbread
- 2 cups Self-Rising Yellow Cornmeal
- ½ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Melted Butter
- 2 cups Buttermilk
Dressing Mixture
- 2 cups Cooked Chicken (shredded)
- 4 tablespoons Butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon Olive Oil
- 10.5 ounce Cream of Chicken Soup
- 10.5 ounce Cream of Celery Soup
- 1 Red Bell Pepper (finely diced)
- ½ Yellow Onion (finely diced)
- 3 Celery Stalks (finely diced)
- 2 Eggs
- ½ teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Rubbed Sage
- ½ teaspoon Celery Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 3–4 cups Chicken Broth
Instructions
- Preheat and Bake Cornbread: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, all-purpose flour, 2 eggs, ½ cup melted butter, and buttermilk. Stir until well combined. Pour the batter into a greased 7×11 baking dish and bake for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Prepare Cornbread Crumbles: Once the cornbread has cooled, crumble it into fine pieces using your hands or a fork and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm 1 teaspoon olive oil and 4 tablespoons melted butter. Add finely diced red bell pepper, celery stalks, and yellow onion. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until the vegetables become tender and aromatic.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the sautéed vegetables along with all the oil and butter from the pan into the bowl with the crumbled cornbread. Mix in shredded chicken, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, 2 eggs, poultry seasoning, rubbed sage, celery salt, paprika, black pepper, salt, and 3 to 4 cups of chicken broth. Stir thoroughly until the mixture is moist, evenly combined, and well blended.
- Bake the Dressing: Transfer the dressing mixture into a greased 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 30-45 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden brown and the dressing is set but still moist. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
- Use fresh herbs and vegetables for the best flavor.
- Adjust chicken broth quantity to your desired moisture level; add more if needed.
- This dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated before baking.
- Use leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute self-rising cornmeal and all-purpose flour with gluten-free alternatives.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Southern American
Keywords: Southern Cornbread Dressing, Cornbread Stuffing, Holiday Side Dish, Chicken Dressing, Classic Southern Recipe
