As a Southern-reared girl through and through, there wasn’t a holiday spent with my family where there wasn’t a pan of cornbread dressing on the table. We devoured that thing y’all! In my family, the task of making the it was an honor only bestowed to the family member trusted enough to do it justice, and that person is and always is Auntie Rose boos. Getting this recipe written down took a lot of time since she cooks from the soul but we got it. And trust me, you should feel honored to get it. Now let me tell you, this thing takes time. We make the cornbread and chicken stock from scratch before even getting into the dressing, but it’s a true labor of love. Plus a how to video is below!
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Full Video Tutorial
They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“Wow this was the best cornbread dressing I’ve ever made! I was nervous at first cause all of the ingredients but they come together and make this side dish so flavorful. Thank you for another successful thanksgiving dinner!”
—KHRISNA M.
How To Make This Cornbread Dressing Recipe
Prepare the Cornbread, Chicken Stock and Chicken
Step 1: Start by making the chicken stock by scratch (full info in the recipe card).
Step 2: Next make a batch of the Southern cornbread by Auntie Rose (full info in the recipe card).
PRO TIP: Make your cornbread a day ahead to allow it to create a bit more sturdy structure. This will help the cornbread stay intact when combined with your wet ingredients.
Mix the Dressing
Step 3: Crumble the cornbread into very small pieces and crumbs. Fold in your onions, celery, and green pepper until all your ingredients are well combined.
Step 4: Add the cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup, and homemade stock and combine thoroughly.
Step 5: Place the slices of bread on top of the dressing mixture. Add the remaining chicken stock over the bread. Then break up the bread making sure it’s mixed thoroughly into the dressing mixture.
Step 6: Add the ground sage, poultry seasoning, and pepper and mix in until well seasoned.
PRO TIP: Don’t be afraid to taste your mixture as you go along and add what you feel is needed. Do you boos! Your taste buds will thank ya!
Assemble and Bake
Step 7: Start first with a layer of dressing mixture on the bottom of your pan. Top with a layer of shredded chicken.
Step 8: Repeat with another large layer of dressing, then chicken, and repeat, ending with dressing at the top of the pan.
Step 9: Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes covered with foil then 25-35 minutes without.
PRO TIP: Before you bake, add a layer of stock over the top of the dressing. My auntie started doing this to add more moisture as the dressing bakes. Be careful not to oversaturate your mixture though. You want your dressing to be moist, not soggy. Add in broth a little bit at a time and allow it to soak in while avoiding a large pool to build up on the bottom boos.
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Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe
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I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Chicken Stock
- 3 lb whole chicken neck and giblets removed
- 4 chicken bouillon teaspoons or cubes I use chicken Better Than Bouilion
- 1 1/2 large celery stalks quartered
- 1 medium sweet onion peeled and quartered
- 6 tbsp salted butter 3/4 stick
- 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp minced or finely grated garlic
For the Cornbread
- 2 1/2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix Rose uses Pearl Milling Co yellow cornmeal mix
- 2 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature and beaten
- 1/2 cup sour cream room temperature, 4 oz
- 1/2 cup salted butter melted
- 2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the Cornbread Dressing
- 1 medium sweet onion (about 1 cup), finely diced we use the food processor to make super fine (you can also saute in butter ahead if you want them nice and soft)
- 1 large celery stalk (about 1 cup), finely diced we use the food processor to make super fine (you can also saute in butter ahead if you want them nice and soft)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper we use the food processor to make super fine (you can also saute in butter ahead if you want them nice and soft)
- 6 oz herb seasoned stuffing About half a 12 oz bag, Pepperidge farms is what we use
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- 4 white sandwich bread slices (include the ends)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground sage
- 1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
For the Chicken and Chicken Stock
- Place the chicken breast side down in an 8 quart pot and cover with 8-10 cups of water or enough to fully submerge the chicken.
- Add the bouillion, celery, onion, butter, black pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat to medium low. Skim any gray scum that appears on the surface, cover and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent the ingredients from sticking to the sides and bottom of the pot. Cook until the breast meat is tender and can be easily pulled apart with a fork, about 1 hr 30 minutes to 1 hr and 45 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and let cool for about an hour then cover the pot and pop in the fridge overnight or use in dressing right away by shredding chicken in next step.
- The following day if you put in the fridge, return the pot to low heat to warm to just room temp. Remove the chicken from the pot and discard the skin, cartilage and bones, leaving just the meat. Pull apart the meat and set aside in a bowl. To keep the chicken from drying out, add a few tablespoons of the stock to it and stir to combine. Strain the remaining stock, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible and set aside. Discard the veggies.
For the Cornbread
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour and sugar until combined. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs until combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk to combine. Whisk in the sour cream until combined, followed by the melted butter. The batter will be slightly runny.
- Heat a 9 inch cast iron skillet over high heat on the stove until scorching hot. To test, add a few droplets of water; if they dance in the skillet, it's hot enough. Add the oil to the skillet then pour the batter into the skillet, it should sizzle. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the cornbread is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Transfer the skillet to a wire rack and let cool for about 20 minutes then turn the cornbread out onto the rack and let cool to room temperature.
For the Cornbread Dressing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Crumble cornbread by hand into super small pieces and fine crumbs in a large roasting pan.
- Add the onions, celery, green pepper and stuffing mix to crumbled cornbread. Completely mix everything together until thoroughly mixed.
- Next add cream of mushroom soup, cream of chicken soup and 3 cups of the homemade stock and combine thoroughly. Make sure you are mixing every single thing in as well as possible so flavor gets throughout.
- Next place slices of bread to the top of dressing mixture. Pour 1 cup of chicken stock over the bread and dressing soaking the bread then mix thoroughly into the dressing mixture.
- Finally add ground sage, poultry seasoning and pepper and mix in until well seasoned and everything is combined.
To Assemble
- Begin by adding a third of the dressing mixture to the bottom of 9×13 pan about a ¾ to an inch high to cover the bottom of the pan. Line the layer with shredded chicken then repeat with another large layer of dressing then chicken and repeat ending with dressing at the top of the pan. Add a little stock to the top of the dressing to keep it moist while baking.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes (take a peak as you get close to make sure the dressing isn't getting dry. If it is, you can add a bit more stock to the top. Remove foil and bake for 25-35 minutes or until a thermometer reaches 180.
Video
Notes
How to Store & Reheat Cornbread Dressing
Leftover dressing should be cooled completely, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, cover with foil to prevent it from drying out, and bake at 350°F until warmed through, about 15-20 minutes.How Long Will African American Cornbread Dressing Last in the Fridge?
It should last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.Can I Freeze Southern Dressing?
Yep absolutely boos! Ensure it’s cooled completely, then cover it tightly with aluminum foil then add to a freezer bag releasing air and freeze. Don’t forget to add a label with the date too. It can be frozen for up to a month. To reheat, thaw it in the fridge overnight then reheat in the oven as instructed above.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Use Homemade Cornbread: Y’all my auntie’s homemade cornbread hits different in this recipe. It makes a huge difference in the end result versus using store-bought.
- Prep Ahead: Prepare your cornbread and chicken stock a day in advance. Not only will this save you time on the day of your meal, but it also allows the flavors to develop further, particularly in the stock y’all. And don’t forget that slightly stale cornbread actually absorbs flavors much better.
- Don’t Skimp on Moisture: Make sure you add enough homemade stock to the dressing to keep it moist. Lift the foil while baking. If it starts to look dry, don’t hesitate to add a little stock on top.
- Season It Up: Don’t be shy with your herbs and seasonings. Sage and poultry seasoning are classic in African American cornbread dressing y’all but feel free to play around and make it just how you like it. Just be careful with adding salt, as the broths and soups already contain a good amount.
- Avoid Overbaking: To keep your dressing moist and light, make sure not to overbake it. It’s ready when the top is golden brown, and the dressing is set but still moist.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Stock: If you don’t have time to commit to making your own, grab the best brand you can find so you don’t lose too much additional flavor. Super flavorful chicken broth will work as well.
- Whole Chicken: If you want to cut corners, you can swap in a rotisserie chicken that’s already cooked and ready to shred.
- Cream Soups: You can use all cream of mushroom or cream of chicken instead of both.
Serving Suggestions
- Southern Sunday Supper: Make you some fried pork chops, collard greens, and some fried cornbread to round out this cornbread dressing dish.
- Low Key Soul Food Thanksgiving: Keep your main no-fuss by making roasted turkey legs or baked turkey legs, this dressing, homemade cranberry sauce, brown gravy, slow cooker mashed potatoes, and Southern green beans. And don’t forget the sweet potato pie.
- All Out Christmas Menu: Serve prime rib with au jus and horseradish sauce, this cornbread dressing recipe, candied yams, and honey rolls.
They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“This is the 4th year making this fantastic recipe and I almost know it by heart!! I learned how to make great cornbread and chicken stock from this recipe. I loved the detailed way you inform on all aspects of the recipe. Thank you for this recipe and all the other ones. I know I can rely and depend on them to be above average even for me.”
—NICHOLAS G.
Recipe Help
Absolutely boos! You can even make this up to a month ahead if you freeze it. I personally like to prep the chicken and stock as well as the cornbread a day or two ahead. You can assemble the day before or even the day of and bake it up.
If your dressing is dry, it could be due to not using enough chicken stock or overbaking. Make sure to add enough stock for moisture and keep an eye on the baking time. If the dressing starts to look dry while baking, add more stock as needed.
Yep for sure! You can use a different pan size, but it may affect the cooking time. If the pan is smaller and the dressing thicker, it might take a bit longer to cook through.
More Cornbread Recipes
- Hot Water Cornbread
- Southern Cornbread Recipe
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Jiffy Cornbread Recipe
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Cornbread
- Mexican Cornbread Recipe
- Corn Muffin Recipe
- Oyster Dressing
This post was originally published October 2019. It has been updated with new content and images.
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This recipe was soooo good and made with a lot of love! It was just how my grandma used to make it before she passed! So it made my spirit very happy!! Thank you so much! ☺️
This means so much, I’m truly honored it reminded you of your grandma’s cooking. Thank you for making it and sharing this with me.
Heyyyy why’d you change the recipe!!? I made this for Thanksgiving and loved it, but it seems you have uploaded a different version? Maybe to yield less? Can you send me the original (with 8 slices of white bread, 5lbs of chicken… etc.?).
Hey Renisha, everything is exactly the same except we halved the recipe. You can double everything and get the same result from Thanksgiving. I’m so glad you enjoyed this. Would you mind leaving us a star rating and review?
Sure thing! This recipe is phenomenal!
What is the “tent of stock” that you mention in the recipe? I could not find it in the notes.
You basically add stock around the top of the dressing or spoon it on the top to make sure it doesn’t dry out.
I’m waiting to get the dressing recipe in my email box. Can you send it please…..
You’re so sweet for looking out for that dressing recipe I don’t have a way to email it to you directly from here, but a couple things to try: Check your spam/junk and Promotions folder in case the email got filtered by your provider. If you used the “Save This Recipe” / email box on the recipe card, try submitting your email there again just to be sure it went through. In the meantime, you can also print the recipe straight from the site or save it to your browser so you don’t lose it while the email situation sorts itself out. If it still doesn’t show up after that, I’d try re-entering your email on the recipe page one more time and giving those folders another peek.
Send please and thank you
I made this last Thanksgiving and it was amazing. I had never thought to make my own chicken stock before and it took the dressing over the top. I am going to make this again. The only thing I did was not add all the liquid. It was still moist but I eyeballed it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read her stories and longer descriptions of how to make it. Do not just go to the recipe at the bottom of the page. She gives great advice, directions, and reasons why in her longer stories that will help you execute the recipe to perfection.
Thank you so much Christina for the kind words!!
Hi! I want to make this for the holidays. Is the white bread necessary?
Yes it is. It helps to create the full texture. I suggest making the recipe exactly as written for the best results.