Southern Cornbread Dressing with Chicken

Southern cornbread dressing with chicken is a classic Southern dish made with crumbled cornbread, sautéed veggies, hard-boiled eggs, and shredded chicken baked to golden perfection.

Course Side dishes

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Resting Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings people

Calories 365kcal

Ingredients

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onion
6 - 8 cups crumbled cornbread
½ cup breadcrumbs or two slices of day old bread, torn
2 cups chicken broth plus more as needed
2 raw eggs slightly beaten
2 hardboiled eggs chopped
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
In large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and sauté for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Combine the cornbread with the breadcrumbs in a large bowl. Pour in the chicken broth. Using a potato masher, begin mashing the bread – adding additional broth as needed – until the mixture is slightly soupy.
Mix in the raw eggs. Add the hardboiled eggs, sautéed vegetables, and shredded chicken. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the cornbread mixture into a 9 x 13 x 2 inch casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven and cook for 1 hour. You can broil for 5-10 minutes if the top does not brown.
Remove the dressing from the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

The dressing mixture should look slightly soupy before baking — that’s the secret to keeping it moist.
Use day-old or dry cornbread for the best texture; fresh cornbread can make the dressing gummy.
Homemade chicken broth adds the richest flavor, but store-bought works just fine.
You can substitute turkey for the chicken if using up holiday leftovers.
If you prefer more texture, add a handful of toasted pecans or sautéed mushrooms before baking.

Nutrition