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Today, I am sharing a cherished family recipe: Chicken and Cornbread Dressing. This recipe has been made every Thanksgiving since I was little. Our family and friends love it, and I am honored to share this special recipe with you today! When making this recipe, be patient and let the love flow through your cooking. Homemade dressing takes time, but the result will be satisfying! Please enjoy our mom's Southern cornbread dressing recipe!

Before we start cooking our mom's recipe for this cornbread dressing, let's talk about some tips. This is a time-intensive recipe, but you can do a few things to make this easier, especially when you're making it for a Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas meal and need all the time you can get!
What's the difference between Stuffing and Dressing?
This question is reasonable, and the two can easily be used interchangeably. However, the answer is really quite simple. The main difference is that the stuffing is cooked inside the turkey cavity, and the dressing is cooked outside. Therefore, dressing usually needs extra liquid because it does not absorb anything directly from inside the turkey.
Why do you need day-old bread for this cornbread stuffing recipe?
This is an important step. I've cooked cornbread fresh and immediately put it in the dressing recipe, and while it doesn't completely ruin the recipe, there is a noticeable difference when using day-old bread. This is because when it's fresh, it absorbs liquid and can make the bread dissolve into the liquid. However, if it's more on the stale side, it doesn't absorb the liquids as quickly, affecting the texture of the overall end result. Plus, making the cornbread (and setting the bread out) the day before helps you be able to do some of the work ahead of time. I also prefer homemade cornbread from scratch for this recipe. The flavor is just so much better, in my opinion, compared to a cornbread mix!
Chicken and Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
- 6 slices of day old bread
- 1 pan or skillet of cornbread see recipe below
- 4 shallots finely chopped (or 1 small purple onion)
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1 red pepper finely chopped
- ½ cup of butter or olive oil
- 4 cups shredded chicken see notes below
- 2-3 boiled eggs see notes below
- 3 raw eggs slightly beaten
- ¾ tsp poultry seasoning
- ½ tsp sage
- 2 TBSP dried parsley
- 1 tsp kosher salt or to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
- 3 cups of vegetable broth or chicken broth low sodium
Cornbread Ingredients
- 1 cup corn meal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 TBSP granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
For the Cornbread
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Add all ingredients for the cornbread in a medium mixing bowl, and stir just until all ingredients are combined well.
- Then pour batter into a 8X8 greased pan.
- Cook for 30 minutes or until the top of the cornbread is firm to the touch.
For the chicken and dressing
- Saute shallots, celery, and red pepper in butter for about 5-7 minutes. Then set aside.
- Next toast 6 slices of day old bread.
- Remove crust and tear into bit size pieces and place into a large mixing bowl
- Once the cornbread is cool enough, crumble the cornbread into the large bowl with the toasted bread.
- Next, add sauteed vegetables to the large mixing bowl.
- Now, mash boiled eggs with a fork until fluffy. Then add mashed eggs to the large mixing bowl.
- Add shredded chicken and all seasonings to the mixture.
- Evenly pour the slightly beaten eggs over the mixture.
- Gently combine all ingredients. I use my both my hands gently folding all ingredients together.
- In a 9 X 13 baking casserole dish add the chicken and dressing, spread the mixture evenly.
- Evenly pour 3 cups of broth over the mixture in the baking dish.
- Cover with foil and cook at 350 degrees and cook for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
Notes
When serving this delicious Thanksgiving side dish, you mustn't forget the cranberry sauce!
Looking for more holiday recipes?
Blair @ The Seasoned Mom
This looks so good, Audra! I love cornbread stuffing or dressing, so this combination sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing!
Stopping by from the Show Me What Ya Got link party!
Audra
You are very welcome! Thank you for stopping by and checking out the recipe 🙂
Laviza
Nice Article.Thanks for sharing with us.
Kay Miles
We must be cousins. The cornbread dressing with chicken was fabulous. Tasted like MY grandmother's. It was gone so fast no chance to snap a picture. I will save this recipe forever. Thank you, thank you.
Karen Sampey
Sounds a Lot like mine I think the boiled eggs make it!
Helen
Can this be made the day before?
Ann
I would like to know also about making nite before and put in refrigerator until next morning
Kim
I make mine night before sometimes then ass the eggs the next morning then bake
Kim
Add the eggs i meant