If you’re craving a cozy, comforting dinner that’s easy to pull together, and made completely from scratch, this chicken and stuffing casserole is for you! Juicy shredded chicken, tender veggies, and a creamy homemade sauce get topped with golden toasted bread cubes for the perfect mix of textures!

Small cooked bread cubes in a white baking dish topped with parsley.

5 star review

“This is like Thanksgiving in a dish! So yummy, so much flavor. It reminded me a little of chicken pot pie (which I love) and Thanksgiving. My family loved it too and it was a hit with the kids. Thanks for another awesome recipe!”

– Jodi
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A Cozy Chicken & Stuffing Casserole Made Easy

This chicken and stuffing casserole gives you everything you love about chicken pot pie and stuffing in one easy, homemade dish. Instead of boxed stuffing (no shade to box mixes, but I wanted a fresher, lighter version here).

For this fresher take on comfort food, you’ll toast your own hearty bread cubes (sourdough, French, or Italian bread work best;_ then prepare a savory filling with onions, carrots, celery, poultry seasoning, and a simple homemade roux made creamy with a splash of half-and-half (or your favorite dairy-free creamer).

Pre-cooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken, saves time and soaks up the flavorful sauce beautifully. Finally, everything is topped with your toasted breadcrumbs and baked until golden and bubbly. This casserole also happens to hit all the marks for a family-friendly meal.

The combination of crispy, buttery breadcrumbs on top and the soft, savory filling underneath creates the perfect balance of textures. Plus, it’s made with simple, whole ingredients, which is always a win in my book! What’s more, it come together in under an hour, making it ideal for busy weeknights. And the use of rotisserie chicken and homemade bread cubes gives it a fresh, comforting flavor that everyone around the table will enjoy.

Seriously, it’s like digging into nostalgic Thanksgiving flavors in a dish! And let’s be real, nothing beats the cozy flavors of a homemade pot pie, which is exactly why if I’m not making this easy chicken and stuffing casserole, you’ll find me in my kitchen whipping up my turkey pot pie pasta, too!

Bowls of peas, shredded chicken, bread cubes, and diced vegetables next to spices, broth, and an onion.

Ingredients You’ll Need: butter, olive oil, bread, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, onion, celery, carrot, flour, chicken stock, half-and-half, peas, and shredded chicken.

Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Make Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

Jump to Recipe Instructions
A metal saucepan filled with small bread cubes.
Cook the bread cubes until lightly browned.
A hand pouring spices into a saucepan with diced carrots, celery, and onions.
Cook the diced onion, celery, carrot.
A hand stirring diced vegetables in a saucepan with a large spoon.
Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 min.
Broth being poured into a saucepan with diced vegetables from a glass measuring cup.
Add the chicken stock and boil for 1 min.
A hand pouring half-and-half into a saucepan filled with broth, diced vegetables, and peas.
Add the half-and-half, peas, and salt.
A saucepan on the stove with creamy diced vegetables, peas, and broth.
Stir everything to combine.
Shredded chicken spread in a large white casserole dish.
Spread the chicken in your baking dish.
A hand mixing creamy diced vegetables and shredded chicken in a baking dish with a spoon.
Mix in the creamy vegetable mixture.
A hand pouring broth over bread cubes in a baking dish.
Top with the bread cubes and remaining stock.
Cooked bread cubes in a large baking dish topped with finely chopped parsley.
Baked covered for 30 min, then uncovered for 5 min.

How I Simplified This Cozy Casserole

I’ve simplified this casserole to be quick and easy without sacrificing flavor. Using pre-cooked chicken, like rotisserie, saves time and effort while still giving you that homemade feel. Toasting the bread cubes yourself is simple, and using half-and-half or milk in the roux keeps it fresh, but faster than making a pie crust or biscuit topping. With fewer steps and less fuss, you can have a delicious, homemade meal on the table in no time. Beyond simplifying casseroles, I love experimenting and giving them fresh takes and unexpected toppings.

Testing Tips for Success

  • Bread choice matters: Use sturdy bread like sourdough or French for toasting—avoid soft white sandwich bread, which won’t hold up.
  • Rotisserie chicken: Since we’re making the rest of our casserole from scratch, adding rotisserie chicken is a no-brainer. If you prefer, you can cook your own chicken beforehand and shred it to soak up that juicy sauce.
  • Crispy topping: Toast the bread cubes with a bit of olive oil and butter for a crispy, buttery topping that contrasts beautifully with the soft filling.
A casserole dish with creamy diced vegetables, cooked cubed bread, and shredded chicken.
Small cooked bread cubes in a white baking dish topped with parsley.
5 stars (4 ratings)

Chicken & Stuffing Casserole (Creamy, No Canned Soup!)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 6 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Classic chicken and stuffing casserole with juicy chicken, tender veggies, and homemade toasted bread cubes is cozy, creamy, and no canned soup needed.
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
  • 6 cups 1/2-inch cubed bread (such as sourdough, French or Italian bread)
  • 1 ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon no-salt added poultry seasoning
  • 1 medium yellow onion, small diced
  • 1 cup small diced celery
  • 1 cup small diced carrot
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ cups reduced sodium chicken stock, divided
  • ¼ cup half-and-half
  • 1 cup frozen-defrosted peas
  • 4 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken, such as from a rotisserie chicken

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Heat the oven to 350F.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium low heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the bread cubes, sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning, and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Set aside.
  • To the same pan (no need to clean it in between), add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Turn to medium heat, then add the onion, celery, carrot, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning. Cook until just softened, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Sprinkle with flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, turn the heat to high, and bring to a rapid boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and add the half-and-half, peas, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine.
  • Prepare a 9×13 ceramic baking dish with oil or cooking spray. Add the chicken, then pour over the vegetable mixture, stirring until well combined. Smooth to flatten the top, then cover evenly with the prepared bread cubes. Pour the remaining ¼ chicken stock over the bread cubes.
  • Cover tightly with foil, then bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbling around the edges. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bread cubes are golden brown.
  • Allow to set for 5-10 minutes, sprinkle with parsley if using, and serve.

Notes

  • When cubing the bread, aim for pieces that are about ½ inch by ½ inch. If cubing the bread yourself, you’ll need about 10-oz, which should yield a generous 6-7 cups. You’re aiming for enough bread cubes to cover the top evenly.
  • I lightened up this casserole by skipping the canned soup and prepared breadcrumbs. You can go one step further by swapping out the half-and-half for whole milk or an unsweetened, unflavored dairy-free creamer.
  • Pre-cooked rotisserie chicken makes this casserole extra simple, or you can cook your own chicken ahead of time.
Course: dinner
Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 6), Calories: 483kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 705mg, Potassium: 608mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 4031IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 125mg, Iron: 4mg
Nutrition disclaimer
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