Joanna Gaines' Friendsgiving Casserole with green salad & homemade French vinaigrette

Equally delightful for Easter, or anytime

I have never been much of a casserole person— I didn’t grow up eating them, and I really dislike mushy, mixed-up foods, which is what casseroles always seem to be.

A caveat: the chicken enchiladas verdes casserole is sublime, I’m here for it, it is perfection in a pan, I’m not above changing my mind. And now, I’ve found a second chicken casserole worthy of my love: Joanna Gaines’ lovely creation, the Friendsgiving Casserole. (Thanks to my mother-in-law for introducing it to me!)

So what’s in the Friendsgiving casserole? Shredded chicken breast and aromatics like celery, onion, and garlic, covered with a creamy sauce, and topped with fabulously crunchy pieces of torn baguette. It’s simple, easy to make, and so deliciously satisfying!

We’ll be making it for Easter, because sorry, Joanna, but who makes chicken for Thanksgiving??? So here’s a sneak preview— a chance to try it out before making it for your family & friends, for those Easter hosts among us. For everyone else, it’s just a lovely weeknight dinner and we’ll leave it at that! FYI, You’ll want a little lead time on this one– for cooking the chicken and drying out the bread. Ideally, do this 1-2 days in advance! (Note: there’s no reason you can’t cook the chicken right beforehand, but it will drastically shorten your cooking time if you do it in advance. This casserole is also a great way to use up a leftover whole chicken— throw the dark meat in, too!)

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And now, back to the casserole.

It’s not a combination I’ve ever thought of before— baguette right there on top of the chicken & sauce— but it makes perfect sense to have everything together in one bite, like the lazy version of a chicken dish + bread on the side.

The best part is that some of the bread sort of melts into the sauce, giving you plenty of juicy (but not mushy) bites, while other pieces stay dry and crunchy. PERFECTION.

We’re pairing the casserole with a simple green salad, and you can wow your family by whisking up the perfect vinaigrette to go with it!

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Joanna Gaines’ Friendsgiving Casserole with green salad & homemade French vinaigrette
Cooking time: 1 hour + 1 day, for drying out the bread
Serves: 6-8