Chicken Stuffing Casserole

This chicken casserole has two layers: a creamy filling of chicken and a trio of onions, carrots, and peas tossed in an easy homemade béchamel sauce. It’s topped with a Thanksgiving-inspired filling of toasted bread, celery, onions, and fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme. The casserole is baked until the filling is bubbly and the filling is crisp and browned.

This is the perfect meal plan recipe. Make it on a slow weekend to serve up in your busy week. It’s also a great recipe for a crowd – easily serves 6 to 8 people – with a simple green salad on the side, tossed with this light colored dressing.

I like the taste of sourdough, but a baguette, ciabatta, or any Italian-style loaf would work. I would avoid rye or pumpernickel as their flavors are too assertive for this dish.

Pre-cut or packaged filling mixes come in small loaf cubes – I prefer to buy a whole loaf and cut the cubes slightly larger (about 1 inch).

What is béchamel sauce?

Considered the French mother sauce, béchamel is a white sauce made with just three basic ingredients. Cook equal parts butter and flour (called roux), then stir in warm milk until sauce is thick and creamy.

The trick to getting a smooth béchamel is to stir the mixture constantly as it cooks. The ideal consistency is like a pourable pancake batter. If it gets too thick, just add a little more milk while stirring. If it’s too thin, continue cooking it over the heat until it thickens.

Smart shortcuts and tips

Chicken: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they have more flavor and are less likely to dry out. Chicken breast is perfectly acceptable. This simple method will walk you through the cooking process.

You can also use leftover chicken from another meal. Just make sure the spices on top are savory with the flavors of sage, rosemary and thyme. Of course, shredding a store-bought fried chicken is another great shortcut.

vegetables: Save a little prep time with store-bought pre-diced onions, celery, and carrots. Even frozen vegetables are always available and ready to hand. Feel free to use it here. Thaw, drain excess liquid and stir into the béchamel (no need to boil it first).

Herbs: Fresh herbs spice up the flavor and are worth seeking out. Look in the produce department for packets of fresh herbs labeled as poultry mix. They contain smaller amounts of sage, rosemary, and thyme, so you don’t have to buy three separate bundles. Dried herbs can be used – cut the amounts in half as their flavor is stronger.

bread: Some stores sell pre-diced bread, which can save you some prep time. Look for unseasoned ones so you can control the salt and flavor.

Tasty swaps

This casserole is great for ingredients you may already have on hand. Here are some swaps that would be delicious:

• Instead of chicken, try turkey, Italian sausage, or diced boiled ham.
• Do you have leftover fillings? Use it here!
• Add shredded cheese like cheddar or Monterey Jack to the béchamel for added richness.
• Stir in the grated parmesan into the filling before topping the casserole.
• The recipe calls for carrots, onions, and peas — they’re a classic trio often found in casseroles. There are many other vegetables that would work here. Broccoli is great! Use any type of onion you can have, such as leeks, red onions, or shallots. Green beans, peppers or parsnips also go well with the filling. Leafy greens like spinach or kale might also work. In the filling is celery; put some in the filling.
• A restriction: I love garlic in almost everything, but I found it too spicy in this dish.

plan ahead

This casserole can be fully assembled in advance, covered tightly with foil, and refrigerated for up to 24 hours until ready to bake. It can even be frozen for up to 3 months for future meals – thaw completely in the fridge overnight before baking.

Our favorite casserole recipes

• Chicken and Rice Casserole
• Reuben casserole
• Potato and sausage casserole
• Turkey tetrazzini
• Easy shepherd’s pie