Chicken and Stuffing Casserole (Creamy Fall Dinner with a Golden Herb Stuffing Topping)

Why you’ll love it

• Thanksgiving flavor any night: chicken, sage, thyme and a golden stuffing crust in one easy dish.
• No canned soup: a quick, creamy homemade sauce made in one pan.
• Great for leftovers: works with rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken or turkey, and it can be made a day ahead.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the creamy chicken filling

• 4 tbsp (56 g) unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup / 150 g)
• 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about 3/4 cup / 90 g)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup (42 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground or rubbed sage
• 3/4 tsp fine salt, or to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream
• 4 cups (about 1 1/4 lb / 560 g) cooked chicken, shredded or cut into bite-size pieces (1 rotisserie chicken)
• 2 cups (280 g) frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn and green beans), no need to thaw

For the stuffing topping

• 1 bag (12 oz / 340 g) herb-seasoned stuffing cubes (about 7 cups), or 2 boxes (6 oz / 170 g each) chicken stuffing mix
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving

Step-by-step method

1. Preheat and prepare the dish. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking dish.

2. Cook the vegetables. Melt 4 tbsp butter in a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.

3. Make the sauce. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in 2 cups broth, then the milk, whisking until smooth. Add the thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

4. Add the chicken. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Fold in the chicken and frozen vegetables. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Spread the filling evenly in the prepared dish.

5. Mix the stuffing. Put the stuffing cubes in a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 1/4 cups broth and the melted butter, add the parsley and toss gently with a spatula until all the cubes are moistened. If using boxed stuffing mix, include the seasoning packet.

6. Top the casserole. Scatter the stuffing evenly over the chicken filling, covering it completely. Do not press it down; a loose layer bakes up crisper.

7. Bake. Cover the dish with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until the topping is golden brown and crisp and the filling is bubbling around the edges.

8. Rest and serve. Let the casserole rest 5 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly. Sprinkle with more parsley and serve hot, with cranberry sauce on the side if you like.

How to know it is done

The chicken and stuffing casserole is ready when the sauce is bubbling steadily around the edges of the dish, the stuffing on top is deep golden brown and crunchy at the tips, and the center is hot all the way through. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the filling should read 165°F (74°C). If the top browns before the center is hot, cover it loosely with foil and keep baking.

Tips for the best result

• Use low-sodium broth; the stuffing cubes are already well seasoned, so it is easy to make the dish too salty.
• Cook the flour for a full minute before adding the liquid so the sauce tastes creamy, not floury.
• Take the sauce off the heat before adding the sour cream so it stays smooth and does not curdle.
• Leave the frozen vegetables frozen; they finish cooking in the oven and stay bright instead of mushy.
• Spread the stuffing in a loose, even layer and uncover the dish for the last part of baking for the crispiest top.

Variations and substitutions

• Leftover turkey: replace the chicken with the same amount of cooked turkey for an easy after-Thanksgiving dinner.
• Raw chicken: simmer 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless chicken breasts or thighs in salted water or broth 15 to 18 minutes, until they reach 165°F (74°C), then shred.
• Mushroom: add 8 oz (225 g) sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion and celery and cook until browned.
• Cranberry pecan topping: toss 1/2 cup (60 g) dried cranberries and 1/2 cup (55 g) chopped pecans with the stuffing before baking.
• Cheesy: stir 1 cup (115 g) shredded Swiss or white cheddar into the filling.
• Lighter: use 2% milk and plain Greek yogurt instead of whole milk and sour cream.
• Gluten-free: thicken the sauce with a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend and use gluten-free stuffing cubes or toasted cubes of gluten-free bread tossed with 1 tsp poultry seasoning.

Make ahead

Make the chicken filling, spread it in the dish, cool it, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Keep the dry stuffing cubes in their bag. When ready to bake, moisten the stuffing with the broth and butter, scatter it over the cold filling and bake covered 30 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, until the center reaches 165°F (74°C).

Storage and reheating

Cool leftovers, cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or reheat the dish covered with foil in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, uncovering for the last 5 minutes to re-crisp the topping. To freeze, wrap the cooled casserole tightly and freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. The topping will be a little softer after freezing.