Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Chicken stuffing casserole is your family’s next favorite dinner. Take help from the store or make it all from scratch (we won’t judge) and you’ll have comfort on a plate in under an hour. It’s great for using up holiday leftovers, too!
Hearty, warm, make-ahead and freezer friendly–this is one dinner you need up your sleeve. Chicken stuffing casserole is the perfect way to use leftover chicken or turkey and stuffing too.
It’s like the little black dress of easy dinners. It does it all and goes with just about anything.
How to boil chicken for chicken casserole
If you don’t have leftover chicken or turkey for this recipe, boil your own. It takes about 20 minutes for a medium chicken breast.
You can also use boneless thighs–just cube or shred your chicken and you can freeze it for making this recipe in the future too! Get the full steps to boil chicken to shred.
How to mix chicken casserole step by step
Combine milk, soups, and broth from chicken or water 
Pour butter over dry stuffing 
Stir to combine 
Spread half in 8×8 baking dish 
Add cooked chicken 
Pour over milk and soups 
Top with remaining stuffing and bake
A note about canned soups
They taste terrible and they are full of funk that rots your insides. That’s the note. But if you don’t have time to make soup from scratch (it takes about 10 minutes), do what must be done.
Some brands these days are a little better than the old school versions, but I’d rather you make condensed cream of chicken soup from scratch. Just freeze it for later and you’ll never need a can! Try this cream of mushroom soup recipe too.
Tips for customizing your chicken casserole
- Make it ahead if needed. Sure the stuffing will soften, but it’s good that way. Assemble up to 2 days ahead and it will still be delicious!
- Use canned or leftover chicken or turkey. Just add extra water or chicken stock to compensate for the missing poaching water.
- Use up leftover dressing/stuffing or use a bag of pre-made. This works best if the dressing is very dried out. If your dressing is very soft toast it in the oven before using.
- Add partially cooked vegetables (peas are great here) and maybe a bit of cheese for extra flavor.
What to serve with chicken stuffing casserole
It’s almost a meal on its own, but I like to serve my casserole with:
Green Beans
Cranberry Sauce
Chicken Stuffing Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast about 1 pound, canned or rotisserie works here as well
- 1/2 cup liquid from cooking your chicken or an extra 1/2 cup milk if you didn't cook your chicken
- 15 ounces cream of mushroom soup 1 can or homemade
- 15 ounces cream of chicken soup 1 can or homemade
- 1 cup 2% milk or milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
- 3 cups leftover stuffing or one box Stove Top, dry
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
- Add the chicken breast and boil until cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- Set aside to cool slightly. Remove any cartilage or tough parts and chunk meat into bite size pieces.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the chicken's cooking liquid and pour out the rest.
- In the same pot, mix the milk, cooking liquid (or extra milk if using it), and the soups.
- Heat over medium until the sauce is heated through and warm, but not boiling.
- While that's heating, mix the butter with the package of dry stuffing mix. Toss to coat and set aside.
- When the soups are warm, grease an 8x8 baking pan.
- Sprinkle in half the stuffing.
- Cover evenly with chicken.
- Pour over soups. You may not want to use it all. It's up to you.
- Add the remaining stuffing mix to the top.
- Bake 25-30 minutes until it's bubbly and warm in the center.
Nutrition
I am excited to make this recipe tonight. I have thin slices chicken breast. Hiw many thin sliced chicken breasts should I use?
Hey Kyra, sorry for the late reply. You really need about a cup, maybe a cup and a half of cooked chicken so however many of your thin slices would make that will be fine. –Rachel
Do you really only use one chicken breast? I have boneless but one seems like so little amount of meat for that much soup? Also, if I want to add broccoli, would you suggest I steam it first?
Hahaha yes Linda, I do. I don’t typically lie when I write recipes. 😉 One thing to keep in mind is the size of the chicken breast. I’d say you’ll need a cup to a cup and a half of chopped cooked chicken so whatever you need to do to get to that amount is fine. And I don’t always use all of the soup. Sometimes I like my casserole a little bit more dry so I hold back a half cup or so. Not always, but sometimes. And if you wanted to add broccoli I’d steam it halfway first. Not so that it’s totally cooked through but just softer so it’s not mush when you get it out of the oven. You really can’t mess this recipe up no matter what you do. I hope you enjoy it! –Rachel
Thank you! I went ahead and made it, steaming broccoli and cauliflower a bit first. I used enough chicken to cover bottom of dish solidly. Turned out great. I also added shredded cheese as was suggested in comments. I added to soups but next time will just sprinkle over soups in dish to see how that works. My husband loved it and he’s always sceptical of internet casseroles ? My only issue is I found it a bit salty for my taste. So would try with reduced-sodium soups next time.
Ah yes, the salt. I always counted on the milk to dilute the soups and only used as much as necessary to get the job done, and I didn’t add extra salt. Of course now I make my own cream of chicken soup and don’t use the canned so I can control the sodium. That may be something to consider in the future–especially since homemade is so simple to do. And I totally understand about internet casseroles. There sure are some duds out there! I try very hard to make everything super reliable and delicious or it doesn’t see the light of day on this blog. Thanks for giving it a try! –Rachel
Can I use a non stove top stuffing, such as Pepperidge Farm. If so, what changes would I need to make?
I’d think you could Pat, but you would probably want to pre-cook or pre-moisten it at least part of the way before adding it to your stuffing bake. I’ve never tested the recipe with bagged stuffing, nor have I ever really used it enough to know how it would work out. I do think it would be too hard if you just put it on top and baked it though. Just give it a test and see? –Rachel
Love this recipe, I made my chicken breast in the crockpot and then
Made this casserole, it was wonderful and easy to make, we
Will make again?
So glad to hear that Linda! –Rachel
Added a 1/2 cup of shredded mild cheddar. Wife loved it! Thank you for the amazing dinner tonight.
Glad to hear that Sean!
This is amazing and easy. Taught my 14 yr old to make it and she loves it. If i makr a larger one do i need to up the cook time?
You know, since everything is already cooked I say just cook it until the center is hot. That may be a few minutes longer depending on how big of a pan you’re making, but no worries about getting anything “done”. 🙂 –Rachel
Do I have to boil the chicken can I just put it in the dish and cook it longer?
Hey Terri, I keep tossing this around in my head trying to decide what to recommend. I’ve only ever made it with pre-cooked chicken so if this is the first time you’re making this recipe I’d recommend making it as written so you’ll know what it’s meant to be like but if you wanted to try the uncooked chicken, I can’t really think of a reason it wouldn’t work. I wonder if you’ll have enough liquid in the dish to last for the longer cook time you’ll need but feel free to experiment and let me know how it turns out. 🙂 –Rachel
Hi. Thanks for the recipe. Can i add a bag of muxed veggies to this?
Hey Doreen, Yes! I’ve had readers who’ve done it and really liked it. Give it a try. 😉 –Rachel
Absolutely loved this recipe, my husband says it’s one of his most favorite meals now! I stumbled across the recipie looking for something to use up some canned chicken I had in the pantry in. It was so good, can’t inagine how great it would be with actual shredded chicken, will make again soon! Thanks from a fellow Kentuckian!
Hey Deonica! That’s great news–and I agree on the chicken–canned is sort of powdery and gross in my opinion. This recipe will be even better for you when you can do it with some chicken you’ve cooked fresh. Isn’t it nice when the people we love enjoy the food we make for them? I’m so glad your husband approved! Where in Kentucky do you live? –Rachel
Thank you for the recipe!! I used can of chicken, used 1/2 cup of chicken broth instead of milk. My family loved it! I paired it with grill veggies and rice, it was delicious!!
That does sound good Ruth! I’m so glad you liked it! My kids are sick of eating it and haven’t had it in years–literally. But it used to be a hit here too! 😉 –Rachel