I Made Joanna Gaines’ Friendsgiving Casserole, and Suddenly My Kitchen Felt Like the Magnolia Table

For the past 11 years, Joanna Gaines has been known as one half of Team Fixer Upper. In tandem with her goofy, construction-savvy husband Chip, Jo has designed some seriously stylish before-and-afters on their popular reality show—and its many spin-offs, like when the power couple refreshes a farmhouse, rejuvenates a mid-century lakehouse, and transforms an abandoned building into a boutique hotel.  

But ever since the renovation icon and mom of 5 released her first cookbook in 2018, Joanna’s become as much of an inspiration for us in the kitchen as she is in other rooms of the home. After my colleagues clued me into their amazingness, I’m already a huge fan of Jo’s snickerdoodle coffee and almond butter cake, but I haven’t tried too many of her main dishes. So when I spotted her Friendsgiving Casserole on a rerun of the “Friendsgiving Feast” episode from the first season of her cooking show Magnolia Table—and realized Friendsgiving season is mere weeks away—I knew I had to try it.

How to Make Joanna Gaines’ Friendsgiving Casserole

There’s no need to reserve this chicken casserole for November alone, Joanna confirms. While introducing the recipe, Joanna says, “Friendsgiving Casserole is one of my kids’ favorite dishes, and a go-to of mine when I want to take dinner to a new mother or a family who could use a hot meal—mostly because it’s easy to love, even for the pickiest eaters.” 

Since it is billed as a Friendsgiving casserole and calls for baguette pieces, you might be picturing this as a hearty stuffing/dressing. But instead of being mixed in with the protein and creamy portion, the bread pieces are crumbled on top, as you might do with Ritz cracker crumbs or breadcrumbs on other chicken casseroles. Baking the bread on top rather than mixing it in helps the carbs “meld oh-so-perfectly with the creamy sauce. [This] makes it that much easier for a bread-dipping connoisseur like me to get a taste of the good stuff!”

Here’s how to make Joanna’s Friendsgiving Casserole, which originally appeared in her 2020 book Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering, Volume 2: 

1. Dry the bread. Set the oven to around 200°F, then scatter 1-inch pieces of torn baguette around a sheet pan. Place the pan in the oven and let the bread warm until it dries out, which should take about an hour.
2. Make the cream sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt butter, then add minced yellow onion and minced celery. Sauté for about 6 minutes or until translucent, then stir in a minced garlic clove and a couple spoonfuls of flour. (You might recognize this technique if you’ve ever made roux.) Whisk constantly until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir in garlic salt, kosher salt, and black pepper. Pour in heavy cream and whisk frequently as you bring this to a simmer.
3. Assemble the casserole. In a 9- x 13-inch baking dish, evenly distribute shredded cooked chicken breast. Top with sour cream, then the cream sauce, and finally, add the dried bread pieces. In a bowl, mix melted butter with chicken broth. Drizzle this broth mixture over the bread.
4. Bake and broil. Transfer the dish to a 325°F oven and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Switch the oven to broil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more to crisp up the top.
5. Garnish and serve. Just before serving, top with more black pepper, plus minced green onions and/or chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm, with cranberry sauce on the side, if desired.

Tips For Making Friendsgiving Casserole

I found this comfort food casserole recipe easy to follow—one of many reasons why it’s easy to love. (More on my final verdict below.) After following Jo’s lead, here are a few things I suggest keeping in mind, along with some bonus pointers from our Test Kitchen pros.

• Take a few store-bought shortcuts. Of course you could make the bread, chicken stock or broth, roast chicken, and cranberry sauce from scratch. But store-bought versions of all of the above are solid—and can save you so much time. Swing by your favorite bakery for a baguette (a day old one will do since we want it to try out anyway!), and remember that store-bought is fine for stock, rotisserie chicken, and cranberry sauce. Opt for canned cranberry sauce or look for tubs in the refrigerator section at certain retailers like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market if ‘tis the season.
• Spiff up your sauce. If you’re in the mood for a DIY side dish, Joanna dished about how to make her signature Holiday Cranberry Sauce. In a medium saucepan, add 3 cups fresh cranberries, 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 tablespoon grated orange zest. Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring often, until thick and bubbly, or for about 3 minutes. Allow this to cool, remove the cinnamon stick, then refrigerate for a few hours.
• Shred swiftly. This Friendsgiving Casserole calls for shredded cooked chicken. If you’re new to shredding it yourself, our Test Kitchen will coach you through it: Allow your rotisserie or roast chicken to come close to room temperature so it’s cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bone. Remove the skin, then use two forks to separate the meat into evenly-sized shreds. Or transfer the boneless, skinless pieces of cooked chicken to a bowl and use an electric hand mixer on low to shred it to your desired consistency, being careful not to overmix.
• Take some liberties. Keep in mind that you can use this easy casserole recipe as a template to customize based on your preferences and the ingredients you have handy. If you can’t find a baguette, a sturdy loaf of sourdough also works great. Consider vegetable or mushroom stock in lieu of chicken stock. If you happen to be making this around Thanksgiving, leftover turkey is a terrific swap for the chicken. And feel free to garnish with whatever fresh herbs you like; sage or chives would also be delicious.
• Love your leftovers. Jo’s formula makes about 8 to 10 servings. If you’re lucky enough to have extra, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3 to 5 days. Enjoy the leftovers chilled, or reheat individual servings in a heat-safe vessel in the oven or microwave until the chicken reaches 165°F and the casserole is warm throughout.

The Verdict on Joanna Gaines’ Friendsgiving Casserole

Growing up in the Midwest, I was raised on my fair share of casseroles. Few of them pack as much flavor and texture as this Friendsgiving Casserole, though—which is why I've been steering clear of making them since I moved out on my own. It’s also rare that any cook this quickly. Savvy and speedy strategies like dousing the bread in buttery chicken stock before baking and making the cream sauce from scratch (rather than opting for canned cream of fill-in-the-blank soup) turn up the volume on the flavor, making each serving ultra-satisfying, while not being too time-intensive.

As I took my first bite, I felt transported back to my Grandma’s table. There, especially around the holidays, she would frequently serve chicken noodle soup with warm, freshly-baked bread on the side. But this time, instead of being used as a dunking tool, the bread is baked right on top. 

Paired with a crisp side salad or roasted vegetables (Smashed Broccoli would be an incredible teammate!), plus a bottle of chilled red wine, I look forward to sharing my customized version of Jo’s casserole with loved ones all throughout the year.