Recipe: Chicken ‘N Stuffing Casserole

Chicken ‘N Stuffing Casserole is fall comfort food at its best, filling and satisfying. And a nice prelude to Thanksgiving.

I love the method used in this recipe for poaching chicken. No more rubbery chicken if you do it this way. Just bring the chicken to a boil, simmer 2 minutes, turn the heat off and let sit covered for 30 minutes. The chicken really picks up the flavors of whatever you add to the liquid.

Instead of poached chicken, you could also use rotisserie chicken or leftover turkey.

If there are any leftovers, hide them at the back of the fridge for yourself. Come lunch time the next day, you’ll be glad you did.

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt, pepper, dried thyme
• 1 carrot
• 2 celery stalks, 1 stalk diced
• 1 yellow onion, cut in half, one half diced
• 6-8 mushrooms sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 can cream chicken soup
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 cups stuffing mix (I used Pepperidge Farm)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2-3/4  cup reserved chicken broth from poaching chicken
• salt and pepper

1. Place chicken breasts in a pan and add just enough water to cover. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme, plus 1/2 onion, 1 celery stalk, and carrot.
2. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let sit 30 minutes. Remove chicken from liquid and set aside. Save 1/2 cup of broth. Dice chicken once cooled.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add diced onion, celery, and sliced mushrooms. Saute until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add chicken soup, mayo, milk, and reserved chicken. Mix well. Stir in 1 cup of stuffing mix.
6. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer chicken mixture to dish.
7. Add remaining 3 cups of stuffing mix on top. Pour melted butter on top and then chicken broth. Pour chicken broth on slowly and evenly so that the stuffing mix soaks it up as much as possible.
8. Bake for 30 minutes.

Yield: 5-6 servings