Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe

Casserole dish of southern cornbread dressing with a spoon scooping a serving up.

4.30 from 119 votes

Southern Cornbread Dressing Recipe

My Auntie Rose’s Famous Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe combines moist skillet cornbread with homemade chicken stock, celery, onion, chicken pieces, spices and flavor galore.

Prep Time2

Cook Time1 20

Total Time3 20

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, soul food, south, Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 449.57kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

deep baking dish

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 9x13 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