Crockpot Chicken and Dressing

Well, I apologize to the few who were looking forward to seeing the famous dressing I keep harping on and on about. I hesitated about posting about the dressing because I couldn't produce any extremely tempting photos of this dish (even though they look tempting to me!), and I know most people eat with their eyes when "meeting" a new dish for the first time.

Despite the low-quality photos, please trust me that this dressing is fantastic. If the photos fail in convincing you of its awesomeness, I have compiled a list of reasons I think you should try this dressing at least once:

• When I made this dressing for Thanksgiving last year, one of my aunts found a way to hoard almost all of the leftovers for herself.
• This Thanksgiving, I doubled the recipe, and she still found a way to hoard a lot of the dressing to the dismay of everyone else (they still found a way to get some).
• Even though my aunt and my mother were full, they still managed to put more dressing on their plates. In fact, my aunt was saying, "Whew, I'm full!" as she spooned up more dressing :).
• I gave this recipe to my stepmother, and she has made this dish a bunch of times already and has admitted that it tastes better than my paternal grandmother's recipe for dressing.
• Even though I made a double amount of the dressing, I still felt compelled to make this dressing again as soon I got home.
• I'm still happily chomping on this yummy concoction to this day. In fact, I can't wait to get home every day just to heat up another bowl.

Now if those reasons don't convince you, then I don't know what else will. The consistency of this dressing is not like that of the northern version where there are more solid chunks of ingredients. It is creamier with a bready texture like that of a non-sweet version of bread pudding, I guess. I topped the dish with gravy made of a roux and chicken broth since I didn't have anymore turkey drippings. Make this dish at least once; you won't regret it.

Crockpot Chicken and Dressing

adapted by Southern Plate

• 4 chicken breasts, cooked
• 2 pans of cornbread or two quarts (I always use Buttermilk or "Dixie" cornbread)
• 2 hamburger or hot dog buns (I have used leftover, homemade yeast rolls or white bread)
• 2 Tbsp sage (add more to taste. I usually end up adding about a Tablespoon more)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2-3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup (separated)
  
• 1 stick margarine or butter, melted
• 2 cans chicken broth (3-4 cups)

CHICKEN: While preparing the other ingredients in the dressing, season with salt/pepper, and poach (or simmer in a little water in a saucepan) the chicken breasts for about 10 minutes.

DRESSING: Mix together cornbread, other bread, sage, onion, hard-boiled eggs, one can cream of chicken soup, melted margarine or butter, and two cans of broth in a big bowl.

PREPARATION: Make a layer of half the remaining can of cream of chicken soup in the bottom of a large crock pot. Top with 1/3 of the dressing. Top dressing with half of the chicken, shredding it as you put it in. Top with 1/3 dressing, remaining chicken, and remaining dressing. Spread other half of cream of chicken soup over top.

Cover and cook on low for three to four hours. Serve hot.