One bite of this creamy casserole and you’ll be shouting its name from the rooftops: yes, it’s that delicious!
Yum yum chicken is the ultimate comfort food casserole. Yes, I said it, and I stand by it. As a veteran casserole lover and maker, I have many favorites that are on repeat in my house, but at the top of the list is yum yum chicken. It’s wonderfully rich and deliciously savory. It’s also tangy and cheesy. The texture is creamy and crunchy, and the chicken is moist, tender, and incredibly flavorful thanks to being enveloped in the amazing sauce. If you think I’m exaggerating, that’s okay. I know once you try this yum-yum-yummy dish, you’ll see what I mean.
There are several versions of yum yum chicken out there. Ours uses both cream of chicken and cream of celery soup, though some only use one (and some use cream of mushroom). We love the flavor the cornbread stuffing brings to the casserole, but some folks use leftover Thanksgiving stuffing. In our yum yum chicken, there is also sour cream, which adds depth to the smooth texture and its signature tang to the flavor, which is enhanced by the sharp shredded cheddar cheese and garlic and onion powders. The cornbread stuffing bakes up into the most heavenly crispy crunch and when you have that first bite of the crust with the juicy chicken smothered in that delectable sauce, you’ll be saying yum yum, indeed!
Yum yum chicken is a terrific weeknight dinner because both kids and adults love it, and it’s very easy to make. It’s a layering process, where you start with the cooked chicken, then the sauce ingredients that you’ve mixed up in a bowl, and finally the cornbread stuffing drizzled with melted butter and chicken broth. Then into the oven it goes for about 30 minutes. That’s it!
Yum Yum: what’s in a name?
Yum yum chicken appears to have gotten its name because this dish is so yummy, families started to refer to it as yum yum chicken (there is more than one story like this out there!). But it’s possible that before you ever heard of yum yum chicken, you—like throngs of Americans—were in love with yum yum sauce, the sweet, tangy, and savory mayo-based sauce served at hibachi-style restaurants. Originally, this popular condiment was called white sauce or shrimp sauce or hibachi sauce. But when Taiwanese-immigrant, Terry Ho, owner of the fast, casual Japanese restaurants Hibachi Express in Georgia, realized how much his customers loved the version he served—so much that they often asked if they could take some home—he saw a business opportunity. In 2012, he began to bottle and sell Terry Ho’s yum yum sauce, naming it for what it was: yummy! While lots of other brands of yum yum sauce have appeared since then, you can still purchase Terry Ho’s at many supermarkets nationwide.
Yum yum chicken and yum yum sauce: they may not be related by history or food category or ingredients, but one thing is for sure—they both live up to their name!
How do I store leftovers?
Completely cooled yum yum chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It can also be stored in the airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving suggestions
When I make yum yum chicken, I usually start with Tasty Herb-Baked Chicken Breast or Juicy Baked Chicken Breast: cook, cool and chop the breasts and your first layer will be ready to go. That said, if you have leftover Shredded Chicken or Homemade Rotisserie Chicken, those work beautifully, too.
Like all good casseroles, yum yum chicken is great with a fresh Green Salad and some kind of bread, like these Garlic Breadsticks. But I also like to make sides whose ingredients echo some of the flavors in yum yum chicken. My favorite pairing, because it includes celery and cheddar cheese and like yum yum chicken, is both creamy and crunchy, is this 7-Layer Salad. But when I’m short on time and inspired by yum yum chicken’s crispy crust, I love to serve it with Fried Corn.
Yum Yum Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked chicken chopped
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 can unsalted cream of chicken soup (10 1/2 ounces)
- 1 can cream of celery soup (10 1/2 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 box plain cornbread stuffing mix (6 ounces
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- Fresh parsley chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Spread the chopped chicken evenly in the dish. In a bowl, mix the sour cream, cheddar cheese, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, garlic powder, and onion powder, then spread this mixture over the chicken.
- Sprinkle the uncooked cornbread stuffing mix on top. In a small bowl, combine the chicken broth and melted butter, then drizzle evenly over the dish.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the dish is bubbly and the stuffing is slightly crisp. Garnish with parsley.
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