One Dish Chicken & Stuffing Bake

This chicken and stuffing bake is the kind of weeknight save that’s been earning its keep for decades. Six chicken breasts line one side of a baking dish, herb stuffing cubes hydrated with boiling water and a pat of margarine sit down the center, and a thinned can of cream of mushroom soup pours over everything to bake into an instant gravy.

Ready in 30 minutes once it hits the oven, with maybe ten minutes of active prep. The trick is the boiling water on the stuffing, which gives it a head start and keeps it moist under the soup-and-milk topping. A dusting of paprika on the chicken contributes a touch of warmth and gives the breasts color where they peek out from under the gravy.

This isn’t fancy food. It’s the casserole you make on a Tuesday when you walked in the door 40 minutes ago and need to be on the couch by eight. The fresh parsley stirred into the gravy is the small lift that keeps it from feeling totally retro.

Kitchen Tips

• Don’t oversoak the stuffing. Half a cup of boiling water and a tablespoon of margarine is exactly right. Wetter stuffing turns gummy in the oven.
• Pound any thick chicken breasts to even thickness so they cook through at the same rate as the thinner ones.
• The covered-then-uncovered bake matters. The first 15 minutes covered keeps everything moist; the last 15 uncovered lets the top brown and the gravy thicken.
• Check chicken for doneness with a thermometer. Look for 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part.

Variations

• Swap cream of mushroom for cream of celery or cream of chicken soup for slightly different flavor profiles.
• Add 1 cup of frozen peas or sliced mushrooms to the soup mixture before pouring.
• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and add 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time for a richer, more forgiving version.