Cracker Barrel Chicken Casserole

FLUFFSTER's Note:

This is a wonderful dish! I haven't had the good fortune to have tried the original recipe at Cracker Barrel, but it it's anything like this, it's a winner for sure! Creamy chicken filling with a wonderful cornmeal crust that turns a golden color! It's a keeper for sure!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 55 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 236.59 ml yellow cornmeal
• 78.07 ml flour
• 7.39 ml baking powder
• 14.79 ml sugar
• 2.46 ml salt
• 2.46 ml baking soda
• 29.58 ml vegetable oil
• 177.44 ml buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 118.29 ml butter, melted

Chicken Filling

• 591.47 ml cooked chicken breasts (cut into bite- size pieces)
• 59.14 ml yellow onion (chopped)
• 118.29 ml celery (thin chopped)
• 4.92 ml salt
• 1.23 ml fresh ground pepper
• 304.75 g can cream of chicken soup
• 414.03 ml chicken broth
• 29.58 ml butter

Directions:

1. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, baking soda, vegetable oil, buttermilk and egg together in mixing bowl until smooth.
2. Pour into greased 8" x 8" baking pan and bake at 375°F for 20 - 25 minutes until done. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
3. When cool, crumble corn bread and place 3 cups of corn bread crumbs in mixing bowl. Add 1/2 cup melted butter to crumbs and mix well, set aside.
4. In sauce pan on medium low heat place butter and saute onions and celery until transparent, stirring occasionally.
5. Add chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, salt, and pepper.
6. Stir until well blended and soup is dissolved completely. Add chicken, stir and blend until mixture reaches a low simmer. Cook for 5 minutes,
7. Remove from heat. Place chicken mixture in buttered casserole dish (2 1/2 qt.), or individual casserole dishes (about four).
8. Spoon cornbread crumb topping on top of chicken mixture (do not stir in chicken filling) and place baking dish in preheated oven at 350°F for 35 - 40 minutes. The crumbs will turn a golden yellow.

Reviews

[katpav1]

This was a disappointing recipe. It was very watery and the cornbread was so soggy. I did like the flavor ok but if I try it again I will add some flour to the butter and onions to make a roux and thicken it up.

[thedixongang]

Made this when our kids had the flu...such wonderful comfort food! I had leftover roasted chicken, so I added a little dark meat and broth from it. Turned out perfect! Thank you for sharing.

[Marie Nixon]

I, like chef *Jules* mistakenly added the butter with the cornmeal batter. I submitted a revision to the instructions to explicitly list the ingredients that are to be mixed into the cornmeal batter. I thought this was just an ok casserole. If you love cornbread then you will probably really like this recipe.