Chicken Stuffing Bake (One Pot)
This one pot chicken stuffing bake recipe is made from scratch and designed to satisfy those comfort food cravings. Tender seasoned chicken baked over delicious homemade stuffing.
If you’re looking for a recipe with cream of chicken soup and a stovetop stuffing mix, you won’t find it here. (Ok, you can use a stuffing mix for a shortcut if you really want to.)
I love homemade stuffing. It’s the ultimate comfort food. This is an easy recipe for weeknights if you make the stuffing ahead. Then you just have to bake it with the chicken, add a simple salad and dinner is done.
Of course, it’s a perfect meal for leftover stuffing if you happen to have some. Big shortcut.
For a homemade stovetop stuffing without chicken, check out our easy and quick stovetop stuffing in 22 minutes.
Ingredients – tailored to your taste
Chicken: Use bone-in skin-on chicken (my preference) or boneless skinless chicken (lower fat and calories). The pictures and recipe include both options. I strongly suggest chicken thighs because they are more forgiving and less likely to dry out. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts too. Just keep in mind they are easier to over cook and become dry.
Seasoning
- For chicken: Use your favorite store-bought rub or check out five rubs for chicken by Joyful Healthy Eats. You will need about 1 tablespoon for bone-in chicken and 1/2 tablespoon for boneless. You’ll also find a basic chicken rub recipe in the recipe notes.
- For stuffing: I stick with traditional flavors of poultry seasoning and savory herbs like parsley and thyme. If you don’t have poultry seasoning, use any combination of thyme, sage and marjoram.
Stuffing ingredients
- Vegetables: Onions and celery are classic for stuffing. I usually add red pepper for color and apples for sweetness. Other good options are mushrooms, snap peas, frozen corn nibletts, finely diced carrots.
- Bread: Almost any bread will do. My favorite is challah or white bread.
- Broth: Use chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Extra add-ins: Chopped apple, raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, chopped canned chestnuts for crunch. You can also add diced hotdogs or cooked pork sausage to infuse a wonderful smoky flavor.
Step by step instructions
For bone-in chicken
Sauté veggies, garlic and seasonings in a large skillet. Meanwhile, toast bread and cut into small pieces.
Add bread, parsley, apples (if using) and broth – a bit at a time until stuffing is just moist. Remember that the chicken juices will be adding moisture too while baking.
To brown the chicken more, place it under the broiler for 3 minutes. Or, if you want to brown and crisp up the stuffing, transfer the chicken to a plate and broil the stuffing for a few minutes. If needed, transfer to a broiler-safe baking dish to broil.
For boneless chicken
Nestle boneless chicken on top of stuffing and bake for about 15-20 minutes.
To finish chicken and stuffing with boneless chicken (optional): After baking, sprinkle with paprika and parsley and either serve immediately OR pile the stuffing on top of the baked chicken and broil for 3 minutes to brown the stuffing.
Tips
- Toast the bread well for nice color.
- Don’t add too much broth because the chicken creates additional liquid during cooking.
- Try to get chicken pieces the same size/thickness so they cook evenly. For boneless, pound thicker pieces with the heal of your hand.
Recipe FAQ
Serious Eats did a taste taste for the best kinds of bread to use for stuffing. Simple good quality white sandwich bread and challah are great choices.
Yes. Homemade stuffing uses fresh ingredients and fresh vegetables without additives. Box stuffing packages contain high amounts of salt and sugar.
Shortcut
- If you don’t have the time or energy to make your own homemade stuffing, you can pick up a stove top stuffing mix at your local grocery store and follow package directions. ‘Doctor it up’ with some sautéed veggies if you like ( frozen vegetables are fine too). This makes a really easy chicken family dinner.
- You can also buy toasted bread cubes instead of making them yourself.
- Cooking boneless chicken instead of bone-in will save you some time as well. The prep time is the same.
Make ahead
- You can certainly make the stuffing ahead then bake the chicken stuffing casserole in the next day or two. Keep the stuffing in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
What to serve with it
Some people have to have gravy with chicken and stuffing. If you’re one of those, try our quick recipe for chicken gravy without drippings. Chicken and stuffing bake is also a great recipe with peach chutney or cranberry orange relish (5 minutes).
For a complete meal, add a simple side dish like microwave green beans (that everyone loves, peas, coleslaw, a tomato onion salad or a winter salad.
Other one-pot recipes
- chicken fricassee (simplified version)
- smothered chicken and vegetables
- simple roast chicken and potatoes
- Moroccan chicken with sweet potatoes
- old fashioned beef stew
- easy potato skillet breakfast with ham
If you like this recipe, please leave a 5 star rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟in the recipe card below. And if you REALLY like it, consider a review in the comments. Thanks very much!
Recipe
Chicken Stuffing Bake (One Pot)
Ingredients
Stuffing
- 6 ounces bread, Note 1 (about 5-6 slices bread, 170 grams or 3 cups toasted bread cubes)
- 2 tablespoon butter or olive oil (or combination)
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
- 1/2 red pepper, chopped (optional), Note 2
- 1 apple, cored and diced (optional) (no need to peel)
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth start with a bit less
Seasonings for stuffing
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, Note 2
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1/2 to taste kosher salt or to taste
- 1/4 to taste black pepper or to taste
Chicken
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, Note 3
- 1 tablespoon chicken rub seasoning, Note 4 or a bit more if needed
Instructions
- HEAT OVEN to 400F/204C.
- PREPARE BREAD CUBES: Toast bread to golden brown (alternatively bake in oven for 5-8 minutes, turning once). Cut or rip into 1/2 inch/1.3 cm pieces/cubes. Alternatively, buy toasted bread cubes. You will need about 3+ cups/170 grams.
- MAKE STUFFING: While bread is toasting, heat 2 tbsp. butter (or oil) on medium heat in a large skillet or non stick pan. Add onion, celery, garlic (and pepper or other veggies you're using). Sauté for 4-5 minutes. Add diced apple, poultry seasonings and thyme and sauté another 1 minute. Add bread cubes and parsley. Mix in 1/2 cup/118 ml broth a little at a time to moisten. Keep in mind chicken will add moisture to bread so don't add too much broth. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- ADD CHICKEN AND BAKE: Season chicken by rubbing or sprinkling seasoning all over the chicken pieces including under the skin. Place pieces on top of stuffing in skillet (skin side up). Put skillet on center rack in oven and bake in preheated oven until temperature of chicken is 160F/71C measured with meat thermometer. It will rise when resting. Bake about 25 minutes for bone-in chicken. Note 3 for boneless chicken.
- OPTIONAL EXTRA BROWNING STEP (for bone-in chicken): Place oven rack in top third of oven. Put skillet under the broiler (or transfer to an ovenproof casserole dish) and broil for 3 minutes until chicken is nicely browned.
Recipe Notes
- Bread: Good quality white sandwich bread or challah is best, but almost any bread will work. Even gluten-free bread.
- Other stuffing variations
- Vegetables: Feel free to add red pepper or other veggies like mushrooms, snap peas, frozen corn niblets, finely diced carrots.
- Extra add-ins: raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, chopped canned chestnuts for crunch. You can also add smoked hotdogs or cooked pork sausage to infuse a smoky flavor.
- Stuffing Seasoning: If you like a bit of smokiness, try adding some smoked paprika for great flavor. If you don’t have poultry seasoning, use any combination of thyme, sage and marjoram.
- Boneless chicken alternative: For boneless skinless chicken, season chicken (you will need less seasoning, about 1/2 tablespoon), lay chicken on top of stuffing, then bake 15-20 minutes until temperature reaches 160F/71C. Bake time will depend on thickness of thighs. Sprinkle with paprika and serve. Or, pile the stuffing on top of the chicken and broil for a few minutes to get the stuffing crispier on top. You can use boneless skinless chicken breasts too. Just keep in mind they are easier to over cook and become dry.
- Seasoning/rub for chicken: Use your favorite store-bought rub or check out five rubs for chicken by Joyful Healthy Eats. Here’s a rub recipe if you want to make your own: 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon each kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder.
- Shortcuts
- Make a stove top stuffing mix according to package directions. You can add sautéed veggies if you like (frozen vegetables will work too).
- Buy toasted bread cubes instead of making them yourself.
- Boneless chicken takes less time to cook than bone-in chicken. The prep time is the same.
- For a quick meal, skip the baked chicken and just add leftover chicken, cut up rotisserie chicken or leftover Thanksgiving turkey to the stuffing, then cover it with a hot creamy gravy. You can even use leftover stuffing of course. Dinner in 15 minutes!
- Condiments to serve with chicken stuffing bake: chutney, cranberry sauce (or 5 minute relish), quick chicken gravy.
- Make ahead:
- You can certainly make the stuffing ahead then bake the chicken stuffing casserole in the next day or two. Keep the stuffing in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. Or in the freezer for 2-3 months.
