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Hearty Chicken Stuffing Casserole is a satisfying one-dish main meal that brings me back to childhood meals my mom used to make! My version takes an old-fashioned chicken casserole with stuffing and elevates it with gluten-free bread and mixes it with homemade cream soup and lots of savory chicken for a homemade stuffing casserole that is perfect for the fall and winter months.
Easy Chicken Stuffing Casserole
When the weather turns cool I want comfort food! Casseroles are a fantastic dinner option, especially during a busy school and sports season – or just when work gets hectic. They’re not difficult to make and contain everything you need in a meal: meat, starch, and plenty of veggies.
I love popping a casserole in the oven and making a quick salad to add even more vegetables. Then I can take a breath while dinner cooks before launching into the rest of the evening. See my tips below for how to tailor this chicken and stuffing casserole to the ingredients you have on hand, or make the recipe exactly as written!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Casserole
This chicken stuffing casserole hits all the notes you want in a soothing, homey casserole that’s especially wonderful on cool fall nights. Here’s why you’ll love this recipe:
- Great to make ahead. You can make this casserole the day before you want to cook it, making it a fantastic choice for busy seasons. You can also divide the casserole between two pans and freeze one for another time.
- Very forgiving. I love this recipe because you can easily make simple substitutions. Want to use store-bought soup? Go ahead. Have leftover turkey? You can swap it for the chicken. And you can choose any variety of frozen vegetables you like.
- From scratch or shortcuts. Besides the soup swap, you can use homemade or storebought bread. You can even use leftover stuffing from Thanksgiving!
- Gluten-Free. This casserole is entirely gluten-free if you use gluten-free bread for the stuffing. The rest of the ingredients you need are naturally gluten-free, so no extra substitutions are necessary.
What You’ll Need
Here’s a list of what you’ll need to make chicken and stuffing casserole. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
For the Stuffing
- Gluten-Free Bread: You can use your favorite store-bought loaf of gluten-free bread, or make my homemade gluten-free sandwich bread!
- Unsalted Butter:
- Onions: I use yellow onion but you could use red onion.
- Celery: Celery helps form a flavorful base to the stuffing.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds loads of flavor to the casserole.
- Salt: I use fine table or sea salt.
- Black Pepper: Freshly ground black pepper will give the best flavor.
- Poultry Seasoning: Or you can use a mix of sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, nutmeg, and onion powder.
- Parsley: Parsley gives a bit of fresh flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Use gluten-free chicken broth if sensitive.
For the Cream Soup
- Butter: I like to use unsalted butter but you can use salted butter if you wish.
- Onion Powder:
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Chicken Broth
- Milk: I like whole milk for richness.
- Cornstarch: Used to thicken the soup.
For the Remaining Filling Ingredients
- Sour Cream: I use whole-fat sour cream.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Either store-bought or homemade. You will need 3 cups total of chicken.
- Frozen Vegetables: Pick up a bag of mixed frozen vegetables to use in this recipe.
How to Make Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Use the photos below to guide you through making this chicken casserole:
- Make the breadcrumbs. First, preheat the oven to 250℉ degrees. Spread bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while making the filling.
- Prep. Increase the oven temperature to 375℉ degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
Prepare the Stuffing
- Cook the onion and celery. Melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat then add the onion and celery. Cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and seasonings then cook for an additional minute.
- Add the chicken broth. Stir well and continue to heat until the broth comes to a simmer. Remove from heat and pour the liquid over the dried bread cubes. Stir well and allow to sit while you prepare the sauce.
Make the Cream Soup
- Melt the butter. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the seasonings, stir, and cook until the onion powder starts to brown.
- Make the soup. Add the chicken broth and milk and whisk well. Immediately add the cornstarch and whisk until it’s dissolved. Continue to cook while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens like gravy. Remove from heat.
Assemble
- Add the chicken and veggies. Rinse the frozen vegetables with warm water to remove any ice and break up any frozen clumps. Combine with the chicken in a large bowl.
- Combine with the soup. Pour the soup mixture and the sour cream on top and fold together until it’s well mixed.
- Add the stuffing. Spread the filling into the prepared pan. Top with the stuffing mixture.
- Bake the casserole. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil for the remaining time.
- Rest and enjoy. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to help you make a perfect chicken stuffing casserole every time:
- Use any type of chicken. I’ve called for pre-made rotisserie chicken in this recipe to make things easy, but you can absolutely use any leftover chicken – from a roast chicken, baked chicken breast, boiled chicken, etc.
- Make the casserole in advance. This is a great recipe to make ahead of time, because the longer the casserole sits the more the flavors develop. You can put together the casserole up to 24 hours in advance and store it, covered, in the fridge. Before you bake it, let the casserole come to room temperature for about 30-60 minutes.
- Use store-bought stuffing. I highly recommend making your own stuffing, but if you can get a box of gluten-free stuffing you can substitute it for the homemade stuffing mix.
- Swap in turkey. Save this recipe for your Thanksgiving leftovers! You can easily swap leftover holiday turkey for the shredded chicken.
- Substitute ground beef or ham. You could also substitute the chicken for ground beef or ham for a different flavor.
- Use store-bought soup. If you don’t have time or prefer the flavor of store-bought, you can use a can of “cream of” soup in this recipe.
- Add cheese. You can stir in some cheese along with the soup for extra flavor and texture. I love a bit of Gruyere or parmesan cheese in this casserole.
- Make it dairy-free. To make this casserole dairy-free, substitute your favorite non-dairy butter (or use olive oil) and milk for the butter and milk.
Make It A Meal
Chicken stuffing casserole is hearty and satisfying. It also tastes great with a side of vegetables or salad. Here are a few of my suggestions for what to serve with this main dish:
- Broccoli. A side of vegetables is always a good idea when serving a casserole! My air fryer broccoli or Easy Roasted Broccoli with Sesame Maple Glaze would go wonderfully with chicken stuffing casserole.
- Asparagus. Asparagus is also a solid choice of vegetable alongside a casserole. Try my oven-roasted asparagus or Air Fryer Asparagus with Parmesan.
- Salad. A big salad packed with vegetables is a must when serving a heavier meal like a casserole. Try my Mixed Greens Salad with Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Seeds for lots of fall flavors, or an Italian Country Salad with Poached Pears.
- Cranberry sauce. Cranberry sauce is not just for turkey! I love serving cranberry sauce with roast chicken, and it tastes equally right alongside this chicken casserole.
How to Store Leftovers
Cover any leftovers in the casserole dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, remove the plastic wrap and heat in the oven on low heat until hot. Or place the casserole dish in the microwave and reheat until hot.
Can I Freeze Chicken and Stuffing Casserole?
Yes, although you’ll want to freeze the casserole before you bake it. Wrap the assembled casserole tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost the casserole in the fridge the night before you plan to bake it.
Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Hearty Chicken Stuffing Casserole is a satisfying one-dish main meal that brings me back to childhood meals my mom used to make! My version takes gluten-free bread and mixes it with homemade cream soup and lots of savory chicken for a homemade version of a comforting dinner classic.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the Stuffing
- ½ loaf (about 290 grams) gluten-free bread, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¼ cup/56 grams unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup/70 grams onion, diced
- ½ cup/60 grams celery, diced, about 2 stalks
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 ¼ cup/300 ml gluten-free chicken broth
For the Cream Soup
- 6 tablespoons/85 grams unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup/240 ml gluten-free chicken broth
- 1 cup/240 ml milk
- 5 tablespoons/40 grams cornstarch
For the Remaining Filling Ingrededients
- ½ cup/120 gram sour cream
- 1 rotisserie chicken, cut into pieces, about 3 cups/1066 grams
- 12 ounces/340 grams frozen vegetables
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250℉ degrees. Spread bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside while making the filling. Increase the oven temperature to 375℉ degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
To Prepare the Stuffing
- Melt 1⁄4 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion and celery and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.
- Add the garlic, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and parsley. Cook while stirring constantly for one minute.
- Add the chicken broth and stir well. Continue to heat until the broth comes to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and pour the liquid over the dried bread cubes. Stir well and allow to sit while you prepare the sauce.
To Prepare the Cream Soup
- Melt 6 Tablespoons of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion powder, salt and pepper and stir well. Continue to cook until the onion powder just starts to brown.
- Add the chicken broth and milk and whisk well. Immediately add the cornstarch and whisk until it’s dissolved.
- Continue to cook while whisking constantly until the mixture thickens like gravy. Remove from heat.
To Assemble
- Rinse the frozen vegetables with warm water to remove any ice and break up any frozen clumps.
- In a large bowl combine the chicken and vegetables.
- Pour the soup mixture and the sour cream on top and fold together until it’s well mixed.
- Spread the filling into the prepared pan.
- Top with the stuffing mixture, spreading it into an even layer.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes. If the top starts to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil for the remaining time.
- Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I used Canyon Bakehouse country white bread in this recipe, but any gluten-free bread will work.
- Alternate preparation of the bread cubes – place cut bread on a baking sheet and allow it to sit at room temperature overnight to dry out.
- You can replace the stuffing with store bought gluten-free stuffing (8 ounce package) and the cream of soup with two cans of gluten-free cream of chicken soup. Since these aren’t available at all stores, I went ahead and included instructions to make them from scratch.
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Amount Per Serving
Calories 372
Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Fat 26g40%
Saturated Fat 8g40%
Trans Fat 0.2g
Polyunsaturated Fat 5g
Monounsaturated Fat 11g
Cholesterol 127mg42%
Sodium 483mg20%
Potassium 331mg9%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 0.2g1%
Sugar 0.1g0%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 342IU7%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 27mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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