Kristi's Mamma Kyle's Old Fashion Chicken and Cornbread Dressing

By á-13856

This recipe has been in our family for generations. My great-grandmother Mamma Kyle would make this recipe every Thanksgiving. Now I do and it feels like she is cooking along side of me in my kitchen. It is amazing how food keeps you close to someone's heart.

Ingredients

• For the chicken:
• Kristi’s Old Fashion Chicken and Cornbread Dressing
• 1 large whole chicken (with gizzards, liver, neck)
• 2-3 quarts of water
• 1 T salt
• 2 tsp.pepper
• 1/3 cup onion
• 1/3 cup celery
• Celery & Onion Broth:
• 2 green onions, whites & green parts, chopped
• 3/4 - 1 cup of each, chopped – celery and onions
• 1 stick of butter
• Enough water or chicken broth to cover the onions, celery
• CORNBREAD:
• 1 box Jiffy Mix prepared and baked according to the packaged instructions.
• 1 Bag Pepperidge Farm Sage Bread Crumbs
• 1 Bag Pepperidge Farm Country Bread Crumbs
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 to 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning, (to taste - use sparingly)
• 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons sage, (to taste - use sparingly)
• 1 cup + Broth to start
• 6 boiled eggs, chopped
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• Paprika

Preparation

Step 1

Kristi’s Old Fashion Chicken and Cornbread Dressing

For the chicken:
1 large whole chicken (with gizzards, liver, neck)
2-3 quarts of water
1T salt
2 tsp.pepper
1/3 cup onion
1/3 cup celery

TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN
You need 1 large fryer (whole chicken or hen)
Remove gizzards and livers inside chicken, and then wash in clear water. Place chicken, gizzards and livers in large pot with 2 to 3 quarts water; add salt, pepper, and 1/3 cup of each chopped onions and celery to the pot
Cover the pot with enough water just above the chicken. Cook on high heat until pot start to boil. Reduce heat and continue boiling about 45 to 60 minutes or until almost done. The gizzards and livers will get done first. Remove them. Continue cooking until chicken is almost done; remove from pot. Set aside. Keep chicken broth. This is what makes the dressing moist and delicious.




Celery & Onion Broth:
2 green onions, whites & green parts, chopped
¾ - 1 cup of each, chopped – celery and onions
1 stick of butter
Enough water or chicken broth to cover the onions, celery

Prepare Celery Onion Broth:
In a small pot add stick of butter and enough water or broth to cover the celery and onion. Boil until tender, 10-15 minutes, set aside.




CORNBREAD:
1 box Jiffy Mix prepared and baked according to the packaged instructions.


1 Bag Pepperidge Farm Sage Bread Crumbs
1 Bag Pepperidge Farm Country Bread Crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons poultry seasoning, (to taste - use sparingly)
1 ½ - 2 tablespoons sage, (to taste - use sparingly)
1 cup + Broth to start
6 boiled eggs, chopped
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 can cream of chicken soup
Paprika

MIX DRESSING
In a large Bowl or well greased baking pan, crumble cornbread. Add salt, pepper, sage & country style bread crumbs, poultry seasoning, sage, cooked celery and onions, chopped boiled eggs and 4 beaten eggs, shredded boiled chicken, cream of chicken soup and mix well. Add a cup or so of broth to start; Mix well until dressing is the desired texture. If dressing seems dry, add more broth until dressing is the texture that you want. For a dryer mixture, use less broth, for a moist mixture, use more broth. Set aside or cover and keep in the refrigerator.
FINAL PROCESS - Can be done the day of serving
If the dressing looks dry, I poke holes all over the top, 2 knuckles deep and pour chicken broth over the top.
Bake at 350°F Covered for 1 and 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes longer or until it is done and the top of the dressing is crisp.
Serve hot.

Yield: 12 or more servings depending how much you serve yourself.

NOTE: I use the large metal throw away pans when making this. I do not use glass bakeware. Cooking times will change according to the size baking dish you are using.

IMPORTANT TIPS TO REMEMBER
1. When using poultry and sage seasoning, use according to your taste. You may want to add more seasonings or less, just be careful not to add too much-- it will overpower the natural flavors. Seasonings make or break the flavor in corn bread dressing.
2. Make the dressing a day before serving. This gives the seasonings time to spread flavor throughout. Just make sure you cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. For more flavor, cut up chicken gizzards and/or livers in dressing before baking.
4. Reserve some broth for left over dressing. Store broth in the refrigerator.