Southern Cornbread Dressing with Chicken

Method20 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C.

2. 2

   Step 2: For the cornbread, whisk together 1 cup self-rising cornmeal and ½ cup self-rising flour.

   Uses 1 cup self-rising cornmeal · 1/2 cup self-rising flour

3. 3

   Step 3: Add ¾ cup buttermilk, the cornbread’s 2 lightly beaten eggs and 2 tbsp vegetable oil.

   Uses cornbread dry mixture · 3/4 cup buttermilk · 2 eggs (lightly beaten) · 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir just until combined; do not overmix the batter.

   Uses cornbread wet and dry mixture

5. 5

   Step 5: Grease a 9 × 9-inch baking dish with the separate pan oil and pour in the batter.

   Uses prepared cornbread batter · Extra vegetable oil to grease the cornbread dish (quantity unspecified)

6. 6

   Step 6: Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the cornbread is cooked through and a tester has no wet batter.

   Bake cornbread · 25 minUses cornbread batter in dish

7. 7

   Step 7: Let the baked cornbread cool.

   Uses baked cornbread

8. 8

   Step 8: Break the cornbread into pieces and toast it in the oven until dried out, watching its texture rather than using an invented drying time.

   Uses cooled cornbread

9. 9

   Step 9: Set the dried cornbread aside for the dressing.

   Uses dried homemade cornbread

10. 10

    Step 10: For the dressing, combine the dried homemade cornbread with 3 crumbled slices of toast or stale bread in a large bowl.

    Uses prepared dried cornbread · 3 slices toast or stale bread, crumbled

11. 11

    Step 11: Sauté 1 cup each diced onion, celery (1 cup) and green bell pepper (1 cup) in a little olive oil until tender.

    Uses 1 cup onions (diced (about half of a large onion)) · 1 cup celery (diced (about 3 stalks)) · 1 cup green bell peppers, diced · Olive oil for sautéing the dressing vegetables (quantity unspecified)

12. 12

    Step 12: Add the sautéed vegetables to the prepared bread mixture.

    Uses prepared cornbread-and-toast mixture · sautéed dressing vegetables

13. 13

    Step 13: Add the one shredded cooked chicken breast, not raw chicken or broth.

    Uses bread and sautéed vegetable mixture · 1 cooked chicken breast, shredded (source also permits cooked thighs)

14. 14

    Step 14: Stir the dressing base together.

    Uses chicken-and-bread dressing base

15. 15

    Step 15: Add the 3–4 cups broth gradually, using only enough to make the mixture thick and a little soupy.

    Uses mixed dressing base · 3–4 cups chicken broth (source also permits turkey broth)

16. 16

    Step 16: Stir in 1 tsp each poultry seasoning, sage (1 teaspoon) and black pepper (1 teaspoon).

    Uses moistened dressing mixture · 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning · 1 teaspoon sage · 1 teaspoon black pepper

17. 17

    Step 17: Taste the mixture before adding the dressing eggs and adjust the seasoning if desired.

    Uses seasoned dressing before raw eggs

18. 18

    Step 18: Stir in the dressing’s separate 2 eggs. Stop tasting the mixture once these raw eggs have been added.

    Uses season-adjusted dressing · 2 eggs

19. 19

    Step 19: Butter a 9 × 13-inch casserole dish with the separate greasing butter and pour in the dressing.

    Uses egg-enriched dressing mixture · Butter to grease the dressing casserole (quantity unspecified)

20. 20

    Step 20: Bake for about 45 minutes, until set and the center reaches 165°F / 74°C.

    Bake dressing · 45 minUses assembled chicken dressing casserole