Easy Chicken and Stuffing Bake Recipe for Busy Weeknights

Chicken and Stuffing Bake for Busy Nights

A chicken and stuffing bake can turn leftover chicken into a warm dinner with little hands-on work. Cooked chicken goes into a baking dish with a creamy sauce, and prepared stuffing covers the top. After about 30 minutes in the oven, the filling is hot and the stuffing has browned around the edges.

This version serves 6 to 8, depending on what you serve alongside it. Rotisserie chicken works well, as does chicken cooked earlier in the week. Add green beans or a simple salad, and dinner is ready without making a separate gravy.

Ingredients and timing

Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep time: About 15 minutes
Bake time: 30 to 35 minutes
Total time: About 45 to 50 minutes

• 4 cups (about 560 g) cooked, shredded or chopped chicken
• 1 can (10.5 ounces/298 g) condensed cream of chicken soup
• ¾ cup (180 ml) milk
• ½ cup (120 g) sour cream
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 package (6 ounces/170 g) dry seasoned stuffing mix
• 1½ cups (355 ml) hot water
• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted

You’ll need a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish. The stuffing mix should be the dry, seasoned kind sold in a box or bag. Use the entire package, including its seasoning.

Condensed soup and packaged stuffing both contain salt, so taste the finished casserole before adding any at the table. If you use a low-sodium soup or stuffing mix, you may want to season the chicken lightly before assembling the dish.

How to make the chicken and stuffing bake

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease the baking dish.
2. Make the creamy sauce. In a large bowl, stir together the condensed soup, milk, sour cream, thyme, and pepper until combined. Fold in the cooked chicken, then spread the mixture evenly in the dish.
3. Moisten the stuffing. Put the dry stuffing mix in a separate bowl. Pour in the hot water and melted butter, stir gently, and let it stand for about 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork. The stuffing should be moist but not soupy.
4. Add the topping. Spoon the stuffing over the chicken in an even layer. Leave it loose rather than pressing it down; the exposed pieces will brown in the oven.
5. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes. The sauce should be bubbling near the center and the topping lightly browned. Check the center with a food thermometer; the casserole should reach 165°F (74°C). Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

If the topping browns before the center is hot, cover the dish loosely with foil for the rest of the baking time. Ovens and baking dishes vary, and a casserole assembled with cold chicken may need a few extra minutes.

Choosing the chicken and getting the texture right

The chicken needs to be fully cooked before it goes into the dish. This recipe’s baking time is meant to heat the filling and brown the topping, not cook raw poultry. Remove any bones and skin, then chop or shred the meat into bite-size pieces. A mix of light and dark meat is fine.

Four cups of chicken makes a substantial filling without leaving the stuffing perched on a thin layer of sauce. If the chicken has been refrigerated, break up any large clumps as you fold it into the sauce. That helps the casserole heat evenly.

Prepare the stuffing with the water and butter listed here, even if the package calls for a different amount of liquid for stovetop preparation. The topping will absorb some moisture from the filling as it bakes. Starting with lightly moistened stuffing gives it a soft underside and browned bits on top. Dry mix scattered straight over the sauce may leave hard patches, while stuffing made very wet can lose its texture.

The sauce should look thick before baking. Condensed soup loosens as it heats, and the milk makes it easier to coat the chicken. Sour cream adds a little tang. There’s no need to dilute the soup according to the directions on its can; the milk in the ingredient list supplies the liquid for this recipe.

Small changes that fit the recipe

For a vegetable in the casserole, stir 1 to 1½ cups of thawed frozen peas or cooked, well-drained green beans into the chicken mixture. Avoid adding a large amount of watery vegetables without cooking or draining them first, since extra liquid can thin the sauce.

Cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup can replace the cream of chicken soup. Each changes the flavor slightly, but the same quantity works. If the stuffing mix is strongly seasoned, you can leave out the thyme.

A smaller household can bake the full recipe and save portions for another meal. For a half batch, use an 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish and begin checking it after about 25 minutes. A half can of condensed soup is awkward to measure and store, so making the full casserole is often simpler.

Make-ahead and leftovers

You can mix the chicken and sauce up to a day ahead and refrigerate them, covered, in the baking dish. Keep the dry stuffing separate. When it’s time to cook, prepare the topping, spread it over the cold filling, and bake. Allow extra time for the center to reach 165°F (74°C); don’t rely on the browned topping alone to judge doneness.

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container within 2 hours of serving and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat portions to 165°F (74°C). A microwave is convenient, though the stuffing will soften. To bring back some of its texture, reheat a portion in an oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C), covered until hot, then uncover it briefly.

Serve the bake with green beans if you want a straightforward plate, or add a crisp salad to contrast with the creamy filling. The casserole already brings chicken, sauce, and stuffing together, so the side dish can stay simple.