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    Home » What We're Eating » Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken

    Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken

    Published: Dec 11, 2018 by Blair Lonergan

    Jump to Recipe
    Long collage of Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken
    Overhead image of Cowboy Casserole with text overlay

    Satisfy your hungry family's appetites and warm their souls with this Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken! Full of down-home ingredients, it's an easy one dish dinner that's perfect for potlucks, freezer meals, and weeknight suppers!

    Overhead image of bowl of Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken garnished with parsley

    The "cowboy" moniker is a great way to describe hearty stick-to-your-ribs meals that utilize a few simple ingredients for easy and delicious dinners! These are the suppers that my active boys and my hardworking husband love to see on the table at the end of the day...total comfort food!

    With chicken, cornbread, cheese, bell peppers, and onion baked together in a creamy sauce, this Cowboy Casserole recipe is a crowd-pleasing one dish dinner that your family will adore!

    Close up image of Cowboy Casserole with cornbread in enamel baking dish with wooden spoon

    How to Make Cowboy Casserole:

    Since this is a Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread, we'll start with the cornbread! You'll need about 4 cups of coarsely crumbled cooked cornbread, so you can either purchase cornbread or corn muffins at the bakery for a shortcut OR you can use a small box of cornbread mix and prepare it yourself at home (this only takes a few minutes to stir together).

    If you're using a small box like this Jiffy mix, you'll need about ¾ of the prepared pan for this recipe.Cornbread for Cowboy Casserole

    You'll also need some veggies!

    Vegetable ingredients for Cowboy Casserole

    In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, onion, bell pepper, celery, and grated cheddar cheese.

    Cowboy casserole ingredients in glass mixing bowl

    Spread half of the cornbread mixture in the bottom of a baking dish and top with the chicken.Chicken in Cowboy Casserole

    Next, the sauce! The simple creamy sauce for this Cowboy Casserole is made with just two ingredients: chicken broth and condensed Cream of Chicken soup.

    Chicken broth and cream of chicken soup cans for Cowboy Casserole sauce

    Whisk together the broth and the condensed soup...

    Cowboy casserole sauce in glass bowl with whisk

    and pour the sauce over the chicken.Layered chicken and sauce for Cowboy Casserole in baking dish

    Finally, spread the remaining cornbread mixture over the top. Use your fingers to gently press down the mixture to form a crust.

    Pressing cornbread topping on top of casserole before oven

    Bake the Cowboy Casserole in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes, or just until the top turns golden brown and the inside is hot and bubbly. Perfect!

    Overhead image of baked Cowboy Casserole in blue and white dish

    Can you freeze Cowboy Casserole?

    Absolutely! This is Cowboy Casserole recipe is the perfect make ahead dinner!

    You assemble the casserole in advance (on the weekend, in the morning, during afternoon naps...whenever it suits your schedule) and either keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours until you're ready to bake it, or wrap it tightly and pop it in the freezer.

    The Cowboy Casserole will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months. Really, is there anything better than a freezer meal waiting for you on a crazy busy day when you just don't have the time or energy to cook? I think not.

    Close up image of Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken in enamelware bowl with fork

    COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:

    • I use about ¾ of a prepared pan of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix for this recipe (which totals about 4 cups crumbled). For a shortcut, purchase a pan of cornbread or a batch of corn muffins from the bakery at your grocery store.
    • This casserole calls for cooked, diced chicken, but you can substitute with an equal amount of cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
    • I use Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup, but you can substitute with Cream of Celery or Cream of Mushroom soup instead.

    What to serve with Cowboy Casserole:

    I love that casseroles are basically an entire meal in one dish. With vegetables, protein and carbs, there's no pressure to come up with any elaborate sides!

    That said, if you want to fill out your plate with even more fresh vegetables or sides in addition to your Cowboy Casserole, try these:

    • Slow Cooker Southern Green Beans
    • Cowboy Baked Beans
    • Garlic Roasted Broccoli
    • Perfect Oven Roasted Asparagus
    • Or just a simple green salad with plenty of crisp, fresh vegetables!

    Overhead image of bowl of Cowboy Casserole garnished with parsley

    You might also like these easy casserole recipes:

    • Dump-and-Bake Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
    • Chicken, Broccoli and Rice Casserole
    • 5-Ingredient Dump-and-Bake Beefaroni
    • Johnny Marzetti Casserole
    Print Pin
    4.24 from 13 votes

    Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken

    This Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread and Chicken is an easy dinner that bakes in one dish! Prep it ahead for an easy weeknight dinner or freezer meal!
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Chicken Casserole Recipe, Cowboy Casserole, Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 355kcal
    Author Blair Lonergan

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups coarsely crumbled cornbread I used about ¾ of the cornbread that was baked in an 8-inch square pan
    • ¼ cup diced green bell pepper
    • ½ cup diced onion
    • ¼ cup diced celery
    • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 2 cups cooked, diced chicken (I used about half of the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
    • 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup (NOT diluted)
    • 1 cup chicken broth

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 2-quart baking dish (about 8 or 9-inch square) with cooking spray and set aside.
    • In a large bowl, combine cornbread, green bell pepper, onion, celery, and cheese.
    • Place half of the cornbread mixture in the prepared baking dish.
    • Spread chicken in an even layer over the cornbread mixture.
    • Whisk together soup and broth until completely combined. Pour soup mixture over the chicken. Spread remaining cornbread mixture over the chicken and gently press down to form a top crust.
    • Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until hot, bubbly, and golden brown on top.

    Notes

    COOK'S TIPS AND RECIPE VARIATIONS:
    • I use about ¾ of a prepared pan of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix for this recipe (which totals about 4 cups crumbled). For a shortcut, purchase a pan of cornbread or a batch of corn muffins from the bakery at your grocery store.
    • This casserole calls for cooked, diced chicken, but you can substitute with an equal amount of cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
    • I use Campbell's Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup, but you can substitute with Cream of Celery or Cream of Mushroom soup instead.
    Can you freeze Cowboy Casserole?
    Absolutely! This is Cowboy Casserole recipe is the perfect make ahead dinner!
    You assemble the casserole in advance (on the weekend, in the morning, during afternoon naps...whenever it suits your schedule) and either keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours until you're ready to bake it, or wrap it tightly and pop it in the freezer.
    The Cowboy Casserole will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 2 months.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1/4 of the casserole | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 35.7g | Protein: 22.8g | Fat: 11.6g | Saturated Fat: 5.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Cholesterol: 60.2mg | Sodium: 1078.5mg | Potassium: 217.4mg | Fiber: 1.1g | Sugar: 7.9g

    This post was originally published in November, 2015. It was updated in December, 2018.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice

      November 23, 2015 at 7:33 am

      I'm loving your cowboy dishes, Blair! I agree, the stick-to-your-ribs kind of dishes are the best, especially when the weather gets cold. This casserole sounds fantastic! I love how hearty and full of flavor it is!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 23, 2015 at 2:35 pm

        Thanks, Gayle!! Cowboy food is FUN. 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jen | Baked by an Introvert

      November 23, 2015 at 9:27 am

      I've never had a cornbread casserole before! This one sounds incredible, though. It would make a delicious, hearty meal on a cold evening. I'm thinking hubs would enjoy this also!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 23, 2015 at 2:37 pm

        Oh, you need to change that NOW, Jen. Cornbread + Casseroles are a match made in heaven. 🙂

        Reply
    3. Lindsey

      November 23, 2015 at 10:54 am

      Cornbread casserole?! I've never tried this but REALLY need to. Looks and sounds so amazing <3

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 23, 2015 at 2:38 pm

        Yes, you definitely need to try it, Lindsey! You'll be a convert. 🙂

        Reply
    4. Jess @ What Jessica Baked Next

      November 23, 2015 at 12:48 pm

      This cornbread casserole looks delicious! This is definitely my idea of the perfect comfort food! 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 23, 2015 at 2:39 pm

        Thanks, Jess! It's TOTAL comfort in a dish! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Anna @ Sunny Side Ups

      November 23, 2015 at 7:16 pm

      Oh my goodness, Blair! This looks really, really yummy! Cozy, comfort-food casseroles are the best, especially this time of year! 🙂

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 24, 2015 at 8:42 am

        Thanks, Anna. I agree -- it's all about the comfort food right now!

        Reply
    6. Chrissa - Physical Kitchness

      November 23, 2015 at 10:10 pm

      OK now THIS is comfort food!!!! I have a soft spot for cornbread!!

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 24, 2015 at 8:42 am

        I'm with you, Chrissa...cornbread is one of my true loves! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Glasses Shop

      November 24, 2015 at 3:35 am

      5 stars
      Love this recipe, thanks for your sharing

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 24, 2015 at 8:41 am

        Thank you! I hope that you have a chance to try it!

        Reply
        • Donna

          October 08, 2020 at 2:13 pm

          I saw where you can change up the cowboy casserole but it sounds really good but I have a lot of pork tenderloin leftovers and wonder how that would be fixed like that and what I need to change.

          Reply
          • Blair

            October 08, 2020 at 6:25 pm

            Hi, Donna! The pork would be a great substitute for chicken in this casserole. You can just use 2 cups of shredded or chopped pork in lieu of the chicken. Hope you enjoy!

            Reply
          • Blair

            October 08, 2020 at 6:26 pm

            Hi, Donna! I always use a protein powder with sweetener in it, so I've never experimented with unsweetened powders. If you go the unsweetened route, you'll definitely need to add your own sweetener of choice to this recipe.

            Reply
    8. lindsay

      November 25, 2015 at 7:19 am

      my southern ways are super excited about this! going to dust off my cowgirl boots just to eat it! haha

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 25, 2015 at 8:15 am

        Thanks, Lindsay! YES...strap on those boots...this is total southern comfort! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Honeybe

      January 05, 2016 at 10:23 am

      Great, just tried it right after New Years. Will definite cook again

      Reply
      • Blair

        January 05, 2016 at 1:43 pm

        Awesome! I'm so glad that you liked it, Honeybe!

        Reply
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    15. Marshell

      October 20, 2017 at 11:16 am

      Can I put this in the freezer?

      Reply
      • Blair

        October 20, 2017 at 12:54 pm

        Hi, Marshell! Yes, I think it would work really well as a freezer meal!

        Reply
    16. Merideth

      November 08, 2017 at 6:32 pm

      I'm confused. Do I cook the cornbread itself first or no?

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 08, 2017 at 6:58 pm

        Hi, Merideth! Yes, you need cooked cornbread. You can either purchase a tray of cooked cornbread at the grocery store, or you can bake it yourself. I baked an 8-inch square pan of cornbread and I used about 3/4 of the pan to equal 4 cups crumbled. Hope that helps, and enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
    17. Emily

      November 11, 2017 at 2:59 pm

      Is this something you could put together the night before you bake it?

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 11, 2017 at 7:09 pm

        Definitely! 🙂 It's a great prep-ahead option!

        Reply
    18. Debbie Harrison

      February 28, 2018 at 11:06 pm

      Boil your own chicken and use the juice from that. You will get rid of the salt in the canned chicken broth which is usually pretty high.

      Reply
      • Blair

        March 01, 2018 at 6:13 am

        Great tip, Debbie!

        Reply
    19. Donna

      September 16, 2018 at 7:58 pm

      I made this fir our dinner. The only thing i would change is to saute the onions, peppers, and celery before adding it to the cornbread. I used gluten free cornbread, added jack cheese, crumbled bacon, thyme, parsley, and a tad of sage and it was really good. So glad I found this recipe. Thanks for posting it.

      Reply
      • Blair

        September 16, 2018 at 8:58 pm

        Great! Thank you, Donna!

        Reply
    20. Cara Rhodes

      September 24, 2018 at 9:11 am

      5 stars
      This was a big hit!! I didn't have any Cream of Chicken soup so I used this substitute and it worked just fine :
      6 Tbsp butter
      2/3 cup flour
      2/3 cup milk
      2/3 cup chicken broth or chicken stock
      1/4 tsp garlic powder
      1/4 tsp onion powder
      Salt and pepper to taste
      Instructions
      Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
      Add flour to the melted butter and mix into a paste.
      Whisk in milk and chicken broth. Whisk briskly until all the flour paste is dissolved making sure to get all of the flour from the edges of the pan.
      Add garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper.
      Continue to whisk and heat thoroughly until the condensed soup is smooth and creamy.
      Use 1 1/3 cup to replace one 10 1/2 ounce can of cream of chicken soup in recipes.
      If not using immediately, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
      This recipe makes the equivalent of 2 cans of cream of chicken (or mushroom or celery) soup.

      Reply
      • Blair

        September 24, 2018 at 1:11 pm

        Awesome! Thank you so much for this helpful tip, Cara!

        Reply
    21. Kimberly Pilkington

      March 16, 2019 at 10:12 pm

      Can this be doubled or tripled successfully?? Can a large aluminum foil deep pan be used? Suggestions?

      Reply
      • Blair

        March 17, 2019 at 5:25 am

        Hey, Kimberly! Yes! This is a great dish to double or triple. If you double the recipe, a 9 x 13-inch baking dish will work perfectly. If you want to triple the recipe, you'll need something even larger -- like one of those deep roasting pans. Hope that helps! 🙂

        Reply
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      September 01, 2019 at 1:48 pm

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        September 01, 2019 at 7:34 pm

        Me too! Such a great book! 🙂

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    23. Stephanie in Tucson

      October 06, 2019 at 7:42 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight. I doubled it, used gluten free cornbread, and made my own chicken. It was fantastic! I did saute the veggies a little like someone recommended. They still had a little crunch, which I liked. The flavor is great. I might try adding green chilis or unsweetened cornbread, but it was great just as directed. Thanks you for the recipe. I love cornbread!

      Reply
      • Blair

        October 07, 2019 at 5:34 am

        Thanks, Stephanie! I'm so glad that it was a hit! 🙂

        Reply
    24. Erin Diehm

      November 12, 2019 at 12:18 pm

      This is delicious! I've made a couple more and put in the freezer. What would be the cooking directions from the freezer?

      Reply
      • Blair

        November 12, 2019 at 12:51 pm

        Hi, Erin! You can thaw the casserole in the refrigerator overnight, then set out on the counter for about 30 minutes right before baking to allow the dish to come to room temperature -- then bake as instructed in the recipe. If you're baking directly from frozen, you'll just need to add a lot of time in order to allow the casserole to heat through. A frozen casserole will probably need at least 60 minutes, so I would keep the dish covered with foil for the first 30 minutes or so -- this way the topping won't burn. Hope that helps! I'm so glad that you enjoy the casserole!

        Reply
    25. Chris

      December 28, 2019 at 5:14 pm

      5 stars
      This is excellent.

      Used leftover cornbread from a takeout place that has been in the freezer a bit, leftover chicken from fajitas AND the peppers/onions from dinner 2 days ago. Added a can of drained corn AND green chilies. Magic...Magic... Magic. You literally cannot mess this up. Add/subtract what you want.
      I actually will be using this again soon for another dinner "base". Switch it up and Branch out- how about sausage, peppers and onions!
      Or an Asian flair- rice, protein, veg and soy/housing, siracha with some pot stickers or egg rolls as the carbs? Endless limitations...

      Reply
      • Blair

        December 29, 2019 at 5:48 am

        Your version(s) sound delicious, Chris! I'm so glad that you used the recipe for inspiration and made it your own. Thanks for taking the time to leave a note!

        Reply
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