Southern Style Chicken Cornbread Dressing Recipe

This southern chicken cornbread dressing recipe is a must-have for cozy meals during the cooler months. Not only is it a thanksgiving dinner staple, but it’s also a warm and savory side dish to serve throughout the holiday season. This classic southern dish will be your go-to dressing recipe. 

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Cornbread Dressing 

A southern chicken dressing recipe is taken very seriously here in the Deep South. It’s typically served in place of cornbread stuffing on the Thanksgiving and Christmas tables. Generally you’ll find it accompanied by chicken or turkey. Growing up, my Mama made dressing all winter long. This is an adapted version of my mom’s recipe. It’s a cozy and filling dish perfect for cool evenings, Sunday dinners or special occasions. 

Why you’ll love this southern chicken cornbread dressing recipe

It’s inexpensive to make. Cornbread dressing’s main ingredient is cornmeal making it less expensive than other side dishes.

It’s also a great way to use up leftover homemade cornbread which saves money and decreases kitchen waste. Using stale bread is best for this recipe.

It’s easy to make. Cornbread dressing comes together easily using just a few ingredients. There are not a lot of steps in this recipe. You simply mix the ingredients and bake. 

There also aren’t a lot of dishes to clean up. The dressing comes together in one pan. I don’t know about you, but I gravitate towards recipes with simple ingredients and minimal cleanup. 

It’s a crowd-pleaser. Deep South cornbread dressing can be easily modified to suit everyone’s taste. There are six people in our family and finding recipes that are approved by everyone is a challenge. Cornbread dressing is loved by everyone. 

It serves a crowd. As a side dish, this recipe can serve up to 12 people. It’s an inexpensive and classic dish to serve a large amount of guests.

Deep South Cornbread Dressing Equipment 

You won’t need much to make this recipe. However, there are a couple of dishes you may want.

Cast Iron Skillet. You’ll need a cast iron skillet to make the cornbread. You could make it in another type of dish, but it won’t turn out nearly as good and it does in a large skillet. 

9×13 Glass Casserole Dish. Cornbread dressing bakes up in a large casserole dish. I prefer a thicker dressing which requires a deeper dish for cooking. 

Keep in mind that your cooking times will vary depending on how thick you make your dressing as well. 

Cornbread Dressing Ingredients 

Cornbread. This is my favorite cornbread recipe. You’ll double it for dressing to make a larger cornbread loaf. 

Day-old cornbread is best. That’s why leftover stale cornbread works great. I make my cornbread ahead of time and let it sit in the fridge overnight. 

If you don’t have a day to make the cornbread, make it the morning before you’re making the dressing. 

22 oz can of Cream of chicken soup. I make my own using this recipe. It’s so easy and unlike canned soup, you can control exactly what goes in it. 

2 tbsp salted butter 

1 small Onion finely chopped. I love this vegetable chopper for quick cutting and uniform slices. Just don’t touch the blade while washing! Ask me how I know.  

2 raw eggs beaten.

4 ½ Cups of chicken broth or stock. Again, I make my own homemade chicken stock after we harvest chickens. A rotisserie chicken also works great for making chicken stock. To make your own broth follow the recipe below.

• Start with a whole chicken. Add just enough water to cover the chicken bones.
• Throw in onions, celery, garlic, carrots, salt and pepper, and any spices that you want.
• Cook the stock low and slow for at least 4 hours for a very flavorful broth.
• Turn off the heat and let it sit on the stove. 

1 tbsp Poultry Seasoning 

Salt and black Pepper to suit your taste. I use about 1 tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper. 

Directions 

1. Start by making your cornbread. If you’re using my cornbread recipe, you’ll want to double it. DO NOT add the optional sugar to the recipe. You want a savory cornbread for this recipe. Doubling the recipe to use 3 cups and cornmeal and 1 cup of flour will be enough to fill a 15” cast iron skillet.
2. Make the cornbread the day before if possible. It’s perfect to use in cornbread the next day.
3. Preheat the oven to 350° F before you’re ready to bake the southern cornbread.
4. Crumble the cornbread completely. You don’t want any lumps in your cornbread dressing.

5. I like to use my stand mixer with the paddle attachment for this. It’s great for perfectly crumbled cornbread in just a few minutes.
6. Next, finely chop the onions. You don’t want large chunks of onion in the dressing.
7. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter in the skillet. Sauté the onions and 1 tsp of the poultry seasoning in the butter until they are translucent and soft.

8. Meanwhile, in a separate large bowl whisk the eggs together. Combine the cream of chicken soup, chicken stock, onions, remaining poultry seasoning, and salt & pepper with the eggs.
9. Stir the cornbread in with the mixture until everything is combined.
10. Pour the cornbread mixture into the prepared baking dish. Remember, you’ll need a deep one. If you don’t have a deep dish, you can use two 8×8 square dishes. This will make the cornbread thinner, and require less cooking time.
11. Cover the cornbread with plastic wrap and allow it to sit on the counter at room temperature for around an hour.
12. Bake the cornbread dressing in the 350° oven for around 45 minutes. Your time will vary according to your oven. You want the center of the cornbread to be set and the top to be golden brown.

Helpful tips 

-If the edges of your cornbread start to get too brown before the center is set, cover the cornbread with tin foil and continue cooking until the center is done. 

-My family doesn’t like celery, however, if yours approves adding celery to this recipe is delicious. Chop 2 stalks of celery the same size as the onions and sauté in the butter until it is softened. 

-Add 2 cloves of garlic and 1 tsp of rosemary with the onions while you are softening them. This makes an even more savory and delicious dish.You can also add fresh sage to the cornbread if you like. 

-Allow the cornbread mixture to sit on the counter at room temperature for an hour. This helps all the liquids to absorb and makes for a moist cornbread dressing

-Make a gravy for the dressing using: 4 tbsp butter, 4 tbsp AP flour, 2 cups chicken stock, ½ cup milk, ½ tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper. 

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. 
• Whisk in the flour to create a thick paste. Continue stirring for 1 minute. 
• Heat the milk in the microwave for 45 seconds to temper it. 
• Whisk in the chicken stock and warmed milk. Continue stirring until the gravy thickens. 
• Stir in the salt and pepper. 
• Pour over the dressing and serve. 

-Cornbread is even better the next day. You can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. I also cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap for storage.

Final thoughts on Southern Chicken Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Cornbread dressing is great for filling tummies, but it also brings back memories. That’s something only a true comfort food can do. I hope you love this delicious southern cornbread and you serve it at your next family gatherings!  

If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it! Thanks for visiting my little farm. 

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