Cornbread Dressing - Southern Style

1._____________________________________________________________________ COOKING THE CHICKEN Ensure chicken is thoroughly cleaned and all cavity items removed. Place a whole chicken inside of a large pot. Add celery, onions, and bell peppers. Season water with Garlic powder, Onion powder, paprika, and bouillon paste. Fill pot with water. Adjust temperature to Med High. Water should rise 1/2" above chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, or until chicken reach desired level of doneness.

2.MAKING THE STOCK Once chicken has fully cooked, remove from pot and place in a separate bowl. Screen the stock into a separate bowl and set aside.

3.Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a large baking dish with butter or oil and set aside.

4.In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the pork sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through. Remove the sausage from the skillet and set aside, leaving the drippings in the pan.

5.Add the chopped celery, onion, and green bell pepper to the skillet. Sauté the vegetables in the sausage drippings until they are soft and translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Remove from skillet and set aside

6.In a large mixing bowl, combine the crumbled cornbread, stovetop stuffing mix, cooked sausage, shredded chicken, and sautéed vegetables. Mix well to combine. Slowly add a portion of the chicken stock in order to start building texture consistency. Mix thoroughly.

7.Add the sage, thyme, rosemary, black pepper, cayenne pepper, poultry seasoning, butter, and salt to the bread mixture. Mix thoroughly to ensure even distribution of the spices.

8.Slowly add more chicken stock to the mixture and stir until you reach desired texture consistency. The mixture should be moist but not soupy.

9.In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add to the mixture. Stir until well combined.

10.Transfer the mixture to the greased baking dish, spreading it out evenly.

11.Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the dressing from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving. ENJOY!