Crunchy Chicken Casserole includes melted cheddar cheese with tender bites of chicken and carrots, topped with a buttery layer of stuffing mix.
Before I got married, my mom gave me a sweet cookbook full of all of our family’s favorite recipes. Divided into categories, each section contains beloved recipes from her aunts, her mother and other important women in her life— all rewritten in her handwriting.
That was nearly 25 years ago (gulp!), but to this day, I treasure this little time capsule of a cookbook. It’s now so worn the spine needs to be replaced and you can tell which recipes I have made more than others by the number of food stains and fingerprints on their pages.
One such recipe is Crunchy Chicken Casserole, a dish that includes melted cheddar cheese with tender bites of chicken and carrots, topped with a buttery layer of stuffing mix.
My mom made this dish quite a bit when I still lived at home, and I now I love making it in my own kitchen. It works just as well as a tasty weeknight supper as it does for serving to company.
These days, I make a gluten-free, dairy-free version so everyone in my family can enjoy it. All it takes is subbing out the regular stuffing mix for a gluten-free version (stock up at Thanksgiving when it seems to be more available) using corn starch or a gluten-free flour to thicken up the cheese mixture and using a cheddar cheese made from almond milk (we like the brand Lisanatti).
Like most casseroles and hotdishes, this Crunchy Chicken Casserole is even better when warmed up the next day. My tip: double the recipe so you have enough for leftovers!
