Leftover Cornbread Cowboy Casserole with Chicken

Square side shot of cowboy cornbread casserole with chicken on a white table.

5 from 17 votes

Leftover Cornbread Cowboy Casserole with Chicken

An easy, leftover cornbread casserole that's full of chicken, veggies, and cheese!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword cornbread cowboy casserole, Cowboy Casserole, cowboy casserole cornbread, Cowboy Casserole with Cornbread, cowboy cornbread casserole, leftover cornbread casserole

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings people

Calories 691kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup finely diced onion
¼ cup finely diced green bell pepper
¼ cup finely diced celery
4 cups coarsely crumbled or cubed day-old cornbread
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 condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if you don't want it spicy, or add more for a spicier dish)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Optional for serving: chopped fresh parsley, sliced green onion, and sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray a 2-quart baking dish (about 11 x 7-inches or 9-inch square) with cooking spray and set aside. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Saute the veggies until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine cornbread, sauteed vegetables, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place half of the cornbread mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spread the chicken in an even layer over the cornbread mixture.
Whisk together the soup, broth, chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and cayenne until completely combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken.
Spread the 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. If you prefer the topping more moist instead of toasty and crisp, cover the dish with aluminum foil for the first 15-20 minutes of baking time.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onion and serve.

Video

Notes

You might like to play around with other spices and flavor-enhancers as well, such as poultry seasoning, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, jalapenos, green chiles, or just keep it simple with some kosher salt and ground black pepper. Try fresh herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
Use day-old (stale) cornbread for the best results. If it’s not dry enough, the cornbread will just get soggy and mushy when it combines with the broth and soup. To achieve this perfectly dried out cornbread, let the cubed cornbread sit in an open, zip-top bag or bowl on the counter for at least 24 hours.
If you don’t have time to wait for your cornbread to dry out on its own, you can toast fresh cornbread in the oven.To do so, arrange the cubed cornbread on rimmed baking sheets. Bake in a 275°F oven for about 30-40 minutes, tossing occasionally. Let the cornbread cool and dry before using in the recipe.

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