Yum Yum Chicken is a creamy chicken casserole with a crisp stuffing top. Chopped cooked chicken goes into a 9×13 dish, a mix of sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, cheddar, garlic powder and onion powder is spread over it, and dry cornbread stuffing mix goes on top. Chicken broth and melted butter are poured over the stuffing, and the dish bakes uncovered at 350°F. It serves 6.
How to make it: Spread the chicken in the dish, cover it with the soup and sour cream mixture, sprinkle on the dry stuffing, then drizzle the broth and butter over the top. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes, until it’s bubbly, the stuffing is slightly crisp and the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- 10 minutes of prep: cooked chicken, two cans of soup and a box of stuffing mix.
- No stove needed: everything is stirred in a bowl and baked in one dish.
- Uses leftover chicken: rotisserie chicken or any chicken you’ve already cooked.
- Two textures: a creamy chicken layer under a golden, crisp cornbread stuffing top.
What Is Yum Yum Chicken?
The name gets used for several different dishes, so here’s what this one is: cooked chicken baked in a creamy layer of sour cream and two condensed cream soups, under a topping of dry cornbread stuffing mix moistened with broth and butter. It tastes like a chicken and stuffing dinner baked in one pan.
It has no yum yum sauce. The mayo-based sauce served with hibachi-style chicken bowls belongs to a separate dish, and it isn’t part of this casserole.
Ingredient Notes
Cooked chicken: 1 1/2 pounds, chopped. Rotisserie chicken is the easiest, but cooked breasts, thighs, tenderloins or canned chicken all work.
Sour cream: 1 cup, for the creamy layer.
Cream soups: one 10.5-ounce can each of condensed cream of chicken soup and cream of celery soup. Unsalted cream of chicken soup is what the card lists. Any condensed cream soup can stand in, including cream of mushroom.
Cheddar, garlic powder and onion powder: 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 teaspoon of each powder. For a plainer casserole, leave all three out.
Cornbread stuffing mix: one 6-ounce box, used dry, straight from the box. If your box has a separate seasoning packet, sprinkle it over the stuffing.
Chicken broth and butter: 1 cup broth and 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) melted butter, poured over the stuffing.
Fresh parsley: chopped, to finish.
Ingredients
For the casserole
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken, chopped (rotisserie or other cooked chicken)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (10.5 ounces, unsalted)
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup (10.5 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
For the topping
- 1 box plain cornbread stuffing mix (6 ounces, dry)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
How to Make Yum Yum Chicken
1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Layer the chicken. Spread the chopped cooked chicken evenly in the dish.
3. Mix the creamy layer. In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, cheddar, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, garlic powder and onion powder. Spread the mixture over the chicken.
4. Add the stuffing. Sprinkle the dry cornbread stuffing mix evenly over the top.
5. Pour on the broth and butter. In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth and melted butter. Drizzle it evenly over the stuffing.
6. Bake uncovered. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly, the stuffing is slightly crisp and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
7. Garnish and serve. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Tips for a Crisp Top and a Creamy Middle
- Use the stuffing dry. Sprinkle it straight from the box; don’t prepare it first.
- Spread it evenly. An even layer of stuffing covers all the chicken, edge to edge.
- Drizzle, don’t dump. Pour the broth and butter slowly over the whole top so every part of the stuffing gets some.
- Leave the foil off. The casserole bakes uncovered the whole time.
- Check the center. Bubbling edges are a good sign, but it’s done when a thermometer in the middle reads 165°F.
- Start with safe chicken. Use chicken that was cooked to 165°F.
Variations
- Different soup: cream of mushroom in place of either soup, or two cans of the same flavor.
- Add vegetables: onions, peppers, spinach, broccoli, corn or green peas can go in with the chicken.
- More garlic or cheese: add fresh garlic, or more cheddar to the creamy layer.
- Other stuffing flavors: any flavor of stuffing mix works on top.
- Plainer: skip the cheese and the two seasonings.
For a take that starts with raw chicken and cooks it right in the dish, see our chicken and dressing casserole. For a slow cooker dinner, try 4-ingredient slow cooker chicken with stuffing.
Make Ahead and Freezing
Freeze it unbaked: Assemble the casserole, cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter, then bake as directed until the center reaches 165°F. A casserole can also go into the oven still frozen; it takes about one and a half times as long.
Expect a small change: cream sauces don’t always freeze well, so the creamy layer may be a little looser or grainier after thawing.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow covered containers. Eat them within 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: Baked leftovers keep their best quality for 3 to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheating: Reheat covered in the oven, microwave or on the stove until it reaches 165°F. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with green beans, carrots and rolls, or a spoonful of cranberry sauce. Good matches from our site: smothered green beans, roasted asparagus and carrots and warm butter biscuits.
Like creamy chicken casseroles with a buttery topping? Try the Ritz cracker chicken casserole next.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is yum yum chicken made of?
Chopped cooked chicken, sour cream, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, a little cheddar and seasoning, topped with dry cornbread stuffing mix, chicken broth and melted butter.
Does yum yum chicken have yum yum sauce?
No. This casserole has no yum yum sauce. That sauce goes with hibachi-style chicken, which is a separate dish.
What does yum yum chicken taste like?
Creamy chicken and cheese under a golden, crisp cornbread stuffing topping, a lot like a chicken and stuffing dinner.
Do I have to cook the stuffing first?
No. The stuffing mix goes on dry, and the broth and butter poured over it are all the liquid it needs.
What chicken can I use?
Any cooked chicken: rotisserie, breasts, thighs, tenderloins or canned chicken.
Can yum yum chicken be frozen?
Yes. Freeze it assembled and unbaked for up to 3 months, thaw it in the refrigerator and bake as directed. The creamy layer may change texture a little.
How long do leftovers keep?
3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat to 165°F.
Final Notes
Keep the stuffing dry, pour the broth and butter over evenly and bake until the middle reads 165°F. If you try it with broccoli or a different soup, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Yum Yum Chicken
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken chopped; rotisserie or other cooked chicken
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 10.5 ounces, unsalted
- 1 can condensed cream of celery soup 10.5 ounces
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 box plain cornbread stuffing mix 6 ounces, dry
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Spread the chopped cooked chicken evenly in the dish.
- In a bowl, stir together the sour cream, cheddar, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, garlic powder and onion powder. Spread the mixture over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the dry cornbread stuffing mix evenly over the top.
- In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth and melted butter. Drizzle it evenly over the stuffing.
- Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly, the stuffing is slightly crisp and the center reaches 165°F on a food thermometer.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
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