If you’re looking for a super simple chicken casserole recipe that your family will gobble up without any complaints, you’ve found it! This easy chicken stuffing casserole is a tasty, satisfying meal that everyone loves – picky kids and adults included. Complete the meal with a simple green salad or a side of dinner rolls. Your whole family will be full and happy tonight!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
An uncomplicated homemade sauce made without any canned soup is rich and savory, filled with shredded chicken and frozen vegetables.
And while I am not using the canned soup shortcut for this recipe, I am using Stove Top stuffing for the topping! Cover your casserole with boxed stuffing mix and throw it in the oven until it’s golden brown.
To make things even easier, bagged frozen veggies and precooked chicken are the main ingredients in the casserole. Use a rotisserie chicken, leftovers from last night, or boil your own chicken and shred it up.
Chicken casserole with stuffing is ready to eat in under 45 minutes, and it’s a full meal all in one casserole dish.
If you love this casserole, you should also try my Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole, Tater Tot Casserole or cheesy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole. All of these are also made with a homemade cream sauce rather than condensed soups!
It only takes a few extra minutes to make a cream sauce from scratch, and the rich homemade flavor is well worth it.
key ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this classic, tasty casserole with a homemade creamy gravy:
Stuffing: Mix a box of stuffing mix with unsalted butter and chicken stock. The directions usually say to mix with water, but the stock will give you much more flavor. Stove Top Stuffing is a popular (and always delicious) brand, but you can also use other brands of instant stuffing. Sauce: Instead of canned cream of chicken soup, I’m showing you how to make a simple creamy sauce from scratch! You’ll need butter, flour, chicken stock, whole milk, and chicken bouillon. Spices: To give the sauce a savory, slow-cooked flavor, we’ll add garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt. Frozen Vegetables: I like to use mixed frozen veggies in this recipe, but you could also use a bag of peas and carrots, or pick and choose your favorites. Chicken: Any already cooked chicken will work in this recipe. Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store, or use up any leftovers you have in the fridge or freezer.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make The Best Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Recipe Tips
For extra crispy stuffing, put the casserole under the broiler for a few minutes after it’s heated through. Make this with a whole chicken! Here’s what I did: I boiled a whole chicken in water with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns, parsley, and a cinnamon stick for about 30 minutes, or until it was done. I pulled the meat from the chicken. then strained the broth to use for the sauce and the stuffing. This is also a great recipe to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Instead of the boxed stuffing, top the casserole with leftover holiday stuffing instead. Other stuffing flavors will work. Chicken stuffing is the most logical choice, but try this recipe with cornbread stuffing, turkey stuffing, savory herbs stove top, or traditional sage. The homemade sauce in this recipe is basically a replacement for cream of chicken soup. If you like, you can use 2 cans of condensed soup instead. Mix and match flavors to make things interesting too! Try adding a half cup of grated cheese to the sauce to make this a cheesy chicken and stuffing casserole. Other frozen veggies, such as broccoli, bell peppers, cauliflower, green beans, or asparagus would be tasty in this chicken casserole too.
Storing Tips
If you have any leftovers (honestly, I don’t think you will!) store them in an airtight container in the fridge. When you reheat this casserole, the stuffing will likely be softened, but it’s still quite good this way. I don’t suggest making this recipe ahead of time or freezing it. The homemade sauce may separate, and you’ll lose that creamy, delicious texture.
What To Serve With Chicken and Stuffing Casserole
The best part about casseroles for dinner is that you can skip the side dishes if you like! You already have chicken, vegetables, and stuffing, all in one pan. But, if you want to take this comfort food dinner to the next level, have something sweet ready for dessert. I suggest Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars or Coca Cola Cake. Both are so simple to make!
Is there sour cream in chicken stuffing casserole?
Similar recipes do call for sour cream mixed with condensed soup to make the sauce. With my homemade sauce, I don’t think sour cream is needed, as the sauce is thick and creamy on its own.
Can I make this with homemade stuffing?
Yes! Instead of the boxed stuffing, use 4 cups of homemade stuffing. Leftover stuffing works well too.
Do I need to thaw the veggies?
No, there’s no need. The heat from the sauce and the trip in the oven will thaw and cook the mixed veggies perfectly. This is the best Chicken Stuffing Casserole, and what makes it even better is that it’s ready in under 45 minutes! Save this recipe for your super busy weeknights – I know that it will come in handy very soon. © Little Sunny Kitchen
