Creamy Chicken Stuffing Casserole (Dump-and-Bake): Easy, Comforting, and Family-Friendly

Some evenings call for cooking that doesn’t demand much from you. Maybe you’re tired from a long day, juggling multiple commitments, or simply want dinner handled with minimal fuss. That’s exactly when this creamy chicken stuffing casserole becomes your best friend. Everything goes into one dish, slides into the oven, and emerges as a complete meal that tastes like you spent far more effort than you actually did.

This dump-and-bake chicken casserole delivers exactly what comfort food should: warmth, satisfaction, and flavors that feel familiar in the best possible way. Tender chicken mingles with herb-seasoned stuffing while a velvety sauce ties everything together. Kids love it, adults appreciate it, and the cook gets to relax—that’s a winning combination for any household.

What Makes This Different

Most casseroles require several steps: cook this component, sauté that ingredient, layer everything carefully. This easy chicken stuffing casserole takes a different approach entirely. You literally arrange raw ingredients in a baking dish, pour sauce over top, and let heat work its magic. No precooking. No complicated assembly. No stress.

The genius lies in choosing ingredients that cook at compatible rates and complement each other naturally. By the time your oven’s done its job, the chicken has cooked through, the stuffing has absorbed just enough moisture while staying textured on top, and the sauce has melded everything into a cohesive dish.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Main Components:

• 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• One 12-ounce package of herb-seasoned stuffing mix
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Creamy Sauce:

• One 10.5-ounce can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
• 1 cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Add-ins:

• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables (peas, carrots, corn)
• ½ cup shredded cheese
• Fresh parsley for garnish

Step-by-Step Preparation

Set Up Your Workspace

Heat your oven to 350°F and grab a 9×13-inch baking dish. Give it a light coating of cooking spray or butter to prevent sticking. This extra step takes five seconds and saves you scrubbing time later.

Prepare the Chicken

Cut your chicken into bite-sized pieces, roughly one to two inches each. Smaller pieces cook faster and distribute more evenly throughout the casserole. Season them lightly with salt and pepper—nothing fancy, just a baseline of flavor.

If you’re adding frozen vegetables, now’s the time to scatter them across the bottom of your prepared dish.

Layer the Protein

Spread your seasoned chicken pieces across the dish in a relatively even layer. They don’t need to be perfectly arranged, but try to avoid big clumps in one area that would cook unevenly.

Mix Your Sauce

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, milk, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk everything together until smooth and uniform. Taste it—this is your opportunity to adjust seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, or spices if it needs personality.

Pour this creamy mixture directly over the chicken, using a spatula to spread it around so it reaches all corners of the dish. The sauce will seem liquidy now, but it’ll thicken beautifully during baking.

Add the Stuffing Layer

Open your stuffing mix and pour it evenly across the top, creating a consistent layer that covers the sauce and chicken below. Here’s where the “dump” part of dump-and-bake really shows—no need to mix or stir, just pour and spread.

Butter Everything

Drizzle your melted butter evenly across the entire surface of the stuffing. This step is crucial—it’s what helps the stuffing crisp and brown on top while staying tender underneath. Don’t skip it or skimp on the butter.

Bake Until Golden

Slide the dish into your preheated oven and set a timer for 45 minutes. You’re looking for the chicken to reach 165°F internally, the sauce to be bubbling around the edges, and the stuffing to turn golden brown on top. Depending on your oven and the thickness of your chicken pieces, this might take anywhere from 40 to 50 minutes.

Rest Before Serving

Pull the casserole out and let it sit for five to ten minutes before serving. This brief rest allows the sauce to thicken slightly and makes serving much neater. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if you want a pop of color.

Tips for Best Results

Chicken Choice Matters: Thighs stay moister than breasts and are more forgiving if you accidentally overbake by a few minutes. Either works, though—use what you prefer or have available.

Stuffing Texture: Want extra crunch on top? Add the butter-drizzled stuffing during the final 20 minutes of baking instead of at the beginning. Want it softer throughout? Mix it gently with the sauce before adding the stuffing layer.

Sauce Consistency: If you prefer a thicker sauce, reduce the milk to ¼ cup. For a thinner, more pourable consistency, add an extra splash of broth.

Even Cooking: Cut chicken pieces to similar sizes so everything finishes cooking simultaneously. Wildly different thicknesses mean some pieces dry out while others reach safe temperature.

Make It Ahead: Assemble everything except the stuffing and butter, then refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to cook, add the stuffing layer, drizzle with butter, and bake as directed—you may need an extra 5-10 minutes since it’s starting cold.

Leftovers Heat Beautifully: This chicken casserole with stuffing mix actually tastes great the next day. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the whole dish covered in a 325°F oven.

Ways to Customize It

This quick chicken and stuffing dish adapts easily to different preferences and what’s in your pantry:

Vegetable Variations: Toss in broccoli florets, sliced mushrooms, diced bell peppers, or green beans. Frozen vegetables work perfectly—no need to thaw first.

Cheese Lovers: Stir a cup of shredded cheddar, mozzarella, or Swiss into the creamy sauce, or sprinkle it on top during the last ten minutes of baking.

Herb Boost: Add fresh thyme, sage, or rosemary to the sauce for a more pronounced herb flavor that complements the stuffing.

Healthier Swap: Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream, reduce butter to ⅓ cup, and choose a whole grain stuffing mix.

Different Protein: Ground turkey, cubed turkey breast, or even cooked rotisserie chicken work here. If using precooked chicken, reduce baking time to 30 minutes.

Spice It Up: Add a teaspoon of paprika, some red pepper flakes, or a dash of hot sauce to the creamy mixture for gentle heat.

Why This Works for Busy Families

A weeknight casserole dinner needs to check several boxes: quick assembly, reliable results, kid-approved flavors, and minimal cleanup. This creamy chicken dinner hits every single one. From start to finish, you’re looking at maybe 15 minutes of hands-on work, most of which involves opening packages and stirring a bowl.

The one-dish nature means less cleanup—something every tired cook appreciates. The familiar flavors mean even picky eaters typically dig in without complaint. And the fact that it holds well if dinner gets delayed makes it perfect for families with unpredictable schedules.

Serving Suggestions

While this family-friendly casserole recipe provides protein, starch, and vegetables in one dish, a few simple sides round out the meal nicely:

• A crisp green salad with vinaigrette cuts through the richness
• Steamed green beans add color and crunch
• Dinner rolls soak up extra sauce beautifully
• Cranberry sauce provides a sweet-tart contrast
• Roasted asparagus brings elegance if you’re serving guests

Storage and Reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. The casserole reheats well—microwave individual portions for 2-3 minutes, or rewarm the entire dish covered with foil in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes.

You can freeze this comfort food chicken recipe, though the texture changes slightly. Freeze in portions for up to three months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Perfect for Different Occasions

Don’t let the “weeknight” label limit you. This oven-baked chicken casserole works beautifully for:

• Potluck Dinners: It travels well and stays warm in the dish
• Holiday Meals: When oven space is tight, this uses time efficiently
• Meal Prep: Make two and freeze one for later
• New Parents: Perfect meal to deliver to friends with newborns
• Post-Surgery Recovery: Easy to eat, nourishing, and comforting

The Beauty of Simple Cooking

Sometimes the best recipes aren’t the most complicated ones. They’re the dishes that show up when you need them, require ingredients you probably have, and deliver satisfaction without demanding perfection. This creamy chicken bake represents exactly that kind of cooking.

There’s no shame in easy. There’s no virtue in making dinner harder than it needs to be. When a straightforward casserole can bring your family together over a hot meal without exhausting you in the process, that’s a recipe worth keeping in regular rotation.

The first time you make this easy chicken stuffing casserole, you’ll probably be surprised at how little effort produces such comforting results. The second time, you’ll make it with confidence. By the third time, it’ll feel like an old friend—reliable, uncomplicated, and always welcome.

What’s your go-to weeknight dinner when time is tight? Share your favorite dump-and-bake recipes in the comments below!