This is the perfect recipe to meal plan. Make it on a slow weekend to serve during your busy week ahead. It’s also a great recipe for a crowd—it easily feeds 6 to 8—with a simple green salad on the side dressed with this bright dressing.
The Best Bread for Stuffing
I like the tang of sourdough, but a baguette, a ciabatta, or any Italian-style loaf would work. I’d avoid rye or pumpernickel as their flavors are too assertive for this dish. Pre-cut or boxed stuffing mixes have small cubes of bread—I prefer to buy a whole loaf and cut the cubes a little larger (about 1 inch).
What is Béchamel Sauce?
Béchamel, considered a French mother sauce, is a white sauce made with just three basic ingredients. Cook equal parts butter and flour (called a roux), then whisk in warm milk until the sauce is thicken and creamy. The trick to get a smooth béchamel is to keep stirring the mixture as it cooks. The ideal consistency is like a pourable pancake batter. If it thickens too much, 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 breasts are perfectly acceptable. This easy method will walk you through how to cook either. You can also use leftover chicken from another meal. Just make sure that the seasonings on it are tasty with the flavors of sage, rosemary, and thyme. Of course, shredding up a store-bought rotisserie chicken is another great shortcut. Vegetables: Save a little prep time with store-bought pre-diced onions, celery, and carrots. Also, frozen vegetables are always available and handy. Feel free to use it here. Thaw, drain any excess liquid, and stir it into the béchamel (no need to cook them first). Herbs: Fresh herbs punch up the flavor and are worth seeking out. Look for fresh herb packets labeled as poultry blend in the produce section. They contain smaller amounts of sage, rosemary, and thyme so you don’t need to buy three separate bunches. Dried herbs are okay to use—reduce the amounts by half since their flavors are more potent. Bread: Some stores sell pre-cubed bread, which can save you some prep time. Look for unseasoned ones so that you can control the salt and flavors.
Yummy Swaps
This casserole lends itself to ingredients you may already have on hand. Here are some swaps that would be delicious:
Instead of chicken, try turkey, Italian sausage, or cubed cooked ham. Got leftover stuffing? Use it here! Add shredded cheese like cheddar or Monterey jack to the béchamel for more richness. Stir grated parmesan into the stuffing before topping the casserole. The recipe calls for carrots, onions, and peas—they are 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 may have like leeks, red onion, or shallots. Green beans, bell peppers, or parsnips would also be nice in the filling. Leafy greens such as spinach or kale could also work. There is celery in the stuffing; add some in the filling. One caveat: I love garlic in most anything, but I found it to be too pungent in this dish.
Plan Ahead
This casserole can be fully assembled ahead of time, tightly covered 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—fully thaw it 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
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 7 ounces day-old sourdough loaf, cut in 3/4- to 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups) 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 3 stalks celery, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups) 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups) 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced 2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, minced 1 1/4 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
For the creamy chicken filling
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 1/4 cups) 1 large carrot, trimmed and chopped (about 1 cup) 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 1 cup frozen peas, thawed 1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 pounds (about 4 cups) shredded cooked chicken 2 cups whole milk 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Turn off the heat and scrape the vegetables into the bowl with the bread. Stir in the chicken broth and set the bowl aside. This is your stuffing. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. When it’s gently bubbling, whisk in the flour until no lumps remain. Continue whisking until the roux (the mixture of butter and flour) is slightly darker in color and smells toasty, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in a little bit of the warmed milk and whisk to combine. Slowly stream in more milk, whisking the roux continuously to prevent clumping. You can switch to a rubber spatula or wooden spoon at this point to get into the bottom edges of the saucepan. Add the remaining milk and continue stirring until the béchamel thickens into a pancake batter-like consistency, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Scrape the béchamel into the skillet with the chicken and stir to combine. This is your creamy chicken filling. Once baked, the leftovers will keep for up to 4 days in the fridge.
