A classic African American chicken and cornbread dressing made with shredded chicken and homemade buttermilk cornbread. Perfectly moist and full of flavor, this make-ahead side dish is ideal for holiday gatherings and Sunday dinners.
Want to save this recipe?
We'll email you this recipe so you can come back to it later!
When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, no table is complete without a generous serving of our chicken and cornbread dressing! This family favorite recipe is inspired by Marrekus’ mom’s famous chicken and dressing. It’s a staple in our house and a must-have for your next holiday feast. It’s also great for Sunday soul food dinners.
We used a cornbread recipe from White Lily, but if you have your own go-to cornbread, feel free to use that instead. You can also use a store-bought cornbread like Jiffy or make our copycat Jiffy cornbread recipe, which is a sweeter, yellow cornbread.
Finally, if you’re looking for a meatless option, we also have a delicious cornbread dressing recipe made without chicken that you can try.
What is Dressing?
Dressing is a side dish similar to Thanksgiving stuffing, but it’s cooked outside of the turkey. Southern dressing is usually made from cornbread (instead of white bread, for example), and combined with ingredients like cooked chicken or turkey, vegetables, herbs, and seasonings. It’s then baked in the oven until nice and golden brown.
What we love about this recipe
- It’s a Southern classic: A tried and true side soul food dish for Sunday dinner and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas.
- It’s full of flavor: Made with tender chicken, sautéed vegetables, and savory herbs and spices like sage and poultry seasoning.
- It’s easy to make ahead of time: Perfect for stress-free holiday dinners and family gatherings.
Ingredients
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cooked chicken: Baked, poached, or rotisserie chicken all work well here. Feel free to use chicken breast or chicken thighs. Make sure it’s seasoned well.
- Cornbread: We made two batches of White Lily Southern Cornbread and crumbled it up for this dressing recipe.
- The Creole/Cajun “Holy Trinity”: A mirepoix of green bell pepper, celery, and onion is a must for that savory flavor base.
- Cream of Chicken Soup & Cream of Celery Soup: These add richness and moisture. You can swap out one of these with cream of mushroom soup.
- Seasonings: Diamond Crystal kosher salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, dried sage, and poultry seasoning are essential for flavor.
- Chicken broth: This adds moisture and flavor to the dressing. Replace with homemade chicken stock or turkey stock if desired.
How to Make African American Cornbread Dressing
Detailed instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Step 1. Start by making two batches of the White Lily Southern Cornbread Recipe. Whisk egg in medium bowl. Stir in buttermilk and oil.
Step 2. Add cornmeal mix and sugar. Batter will be lumpy. Bake cornbread mixture for 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
Step 3. Let cornbread cool to room temperature. Then crumble it up and add it to a large mixing bowl. Sauté bell pepper, celery, and onion, and add it to the crumbled cornbread.
Step 4: Fold in the Cream of Chicken and Cream of Celery soups, and stir to combine.
Step 5. Season with salt, granulated garlic and onion, dried sage, and poultry seasoning.
Step 6. Pour in 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth.
Step 7. Stir in cooked chicken to the dressing mixture.
Step 8. Make sure all of the ingredients are well incorporated.
Step 9. Transfer dressing mixture to a greased casserole dish.
Step 10. Make sure everything is smoothed out on top.
Step 11. Bake the dressing in oven until it turns golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Tips for Chicken and Dressing
- Use Day-Old Cornbread: Cornbread that’s slightly stale helps to avoid a mushy texture. If you’re short on time, you can bake the cornbread a day ahead and leave it loosely covered on the counter.
- Taste as You Go: Before adding the eggs or final touches, taste the mixture to check for seasoning. Adjust salt, sage, or poultry seasoning as needed since preferences can vary.
- Moisture Control: When adding chicken broth, pour it in gradually. The goal is a moist but not soggy consistency, so stop when you’re happy with the texture. If you prefer your dressing a bit drier, use less broth.
- For a Crispy Top: If you love a crispy top, don’t cover the dressing while it bakes.
What to Serve with Chicken and Cornbread Dressing
Serve chicken and dressing alongside Thanksgiving turkey, holiday ham, and other Southern side dishes including mac and cheese, green beans, black-eyed peas, and collard greens.
Make Ahead in Time for Thanksgiving Day
- To make chicken and dressing ahead, bake the cornbread 1–2 days in advance and store it at room temperature.
- Shred cooked chicken and sauté the onion, bell pepper, and celery, then let everything cool.
- Combine everything in a large bowl, mixing well. Then, transfer to a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, let the dish sit at room temperature for 20 minutes as the oven preheats to 350°F. Then bake until golden brown and heated through.
How to Store Leftovers
To store leftover chicken and dressing, follow these tips:
- Allow the dressing to cool to room temperature before storing. Then, transfer to an airtight container, or cover the baking dish tightly with foil. It will keep well in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
- To reheat, heat oven to 350°F for about 20–30 minutes. Cover with foil if it’s looking dry, or add a little chicken broth for moisture.
Freezing cornbread dressing
Portion dressing into freezer-safe containers for up to 2–3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in the oven.
Commonly Asked Questions
Cornbread dressing and stuffing are similar, but they’re not exactly the same. The main difference is that stuffing is usually cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is cooked in a separate dish. Both can use cornbread as a base, but they can have different seasonings and ingredients as well.
Before baking, dressing should be moist but not soggy. It should be wet enough that it holds together when you press it, but not swimming in liquid. If it’s too dry, add a little more broth until it reaches the right consistency.
Chicken and Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray or vegetable oil for greasing
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil like vegetable or canola
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 rib celery diced
- 10.5 ounce cream of chicken
- 10.5 ounce cream of celery
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using table salt or a different brand)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using onion powder)
- 6 cups cornbread crumbled (we made 2 batches of the White Lily cornbread recipe)
- 2.5 cups cooked chicken shredded (make sure it's well seasoned)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth plus up to 1/2 cup more if needed (alternatively, use homemade chicken stock or turkey stock)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery, stirring until softened, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, mix the crumbled cornbread, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and sautéed vegetables until well combined.
- Add kosher salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion, sage, and poultry seasoning. Stir to incorporate, adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Fold in the shredded chicken.
- Gradually add the chicken broth until the mixture is moist but not overly wet. Add a little more if you prefer it extra moist.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden brown on top.
- Let dressing cool slightly before serving.
