Mama’s Chicken Poulet, or “Chicken Chicken”
There used to be a little restaurant in Decatur, Alabama called The Iron Gate. My mother dearly loved that place. I remember her taking us to meet her sister there, who’d have my baby cousin with her (That baby is now a DJ in Little Rock, Arkansas – who let him grow up?!). We’d play in the lobby where they had all of these large leaf plants and Mama an her sister would wait for them to open so they could go inside and have Mama’s favorite dish – which she calls Chicken Poulet. The funny thing is, Poulet means “Chicken” in french so really, this dish is called Chicken Chicken.
Since it was a restaurant that catered primarily to adults, their menu didn’t have much that appealed to children so they allowed parents to bring in fast food for them to eat. Silly me, I thought I was lucky at the time as I sat there with my paper wrapped hamburger and Mama dined on Poulet and homemade rolls!
Nowadays, I don’t actually consider fast food edible by most counts – its just something you eat to keep from starving when you have no other choice. But this Poulet is actually pretty fast when it boils down to it because you assemble it the night before and stick it in your fridge. Come home from work or a day of running the errand rat race and just top it with your cream soup, pop it in the oven, and supper is on it’s way!
Now we’re talkin!
You’re gonna need: Chicken, cheese, mayo, green onions, eggs (You’ll need four so ignore the two in the pic), stick margarine, 1pkg peppridge farm stuffing, milk, cream of chicken soup, little bit of salt, and a can of chicken broth.
The chicken broth isn’t pictured. I tried to get him to hop on the table but he was camera shy 
.
Place your water and margarine in a cup and melt in the microwave until the margarine is completely liquefied.
Look at our pretty bowl we’re gonna use today! Isn’t it nice and sunshiney?
Okay, I’ll get back in the kitchen now…just had to show ya what had me grinning!
Place stuffing mix in a large bowl. Add water and melted margarine.
Stir
Add chicken broth
and eggs
Stir that up good, too.
In a separate bowl, place shredded chicken, mayo, and onions.
I just boiled a couple of chicken breasts for this but you can use leg quarters, a whole fryer, even canned chicken! Just cook it until done and remove and shred meat to use in this.
Stir that up good.
Place half of stuffing mix in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Top with all of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with salt.
Top with the remaining stuffing mix.
In a measuring cup, beat two eggs. Pour in milk.
Stir that up a bit.
Pour over poulet
Like so
It will be a little runny but that’s okay!
Cover this up and stick it in the fridge for at least eight hours.
I just stick it in there the night before I plan on having it for supper.
Right before baking, spread the can of cream of mushroom soup over it.
Bake at 350, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with cheese.
Return to oven for about five minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Have ya a lil’ chicken chicken ~grins~
Chicken Poulet
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 1/2 C Mayo
- 1/4 C Green Onions
- 4 eggs
- 1 stick margarine
- 2 Cups Chicken Broth (a )) ounce can
- 16 ounce pkg Peppridge Farm corn bread stuffing mix
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- Sprinkling of salt
Melt stick of margarine in cup of water by heating in the microwave. Place stuffing mix in bowl. Pour water and margarine over and stir. Add 2 eggs and chicken broth, stir.
In separate bowl, combine shredded chicken, mayo, and onions. Stir well.
Place 1/2 of stuffing mix in bottom of a 9×13 pan. Top with all of chicken mixture. Dash salt over chicken. Top with remaining stuffing mix. Beat together remaining two eggs and milk. Pour over mixture in pan. Cover and place in refrigerator for at least eight hours.
Before baking, remove cover and spread cream of mushroom soup over top. Place in 350 oven, uncovered, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese. Return for another five minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Be careful what you think because you will say it,
Be careful what you say because you will do it,
Be careful what you do because you will become it.~Submitted by Kamilla. To submit your quote, click here.
Posted by Christy Jordan
on Sep 1 2009. Filed under Chicken.
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I made this for my co-workers and they raved about it. Everything thought it was delicious! I loved how easy it was to be together.
I have yet to find a pre mix stuufing my family will eat. We just dont care fer the taste of it.
Love your newsletter.
Have a good Fourth
Johnny
OMG! I am so happy I found this. Im from the Decatur area and I absolutely love love love the Iron Gate. I miss it soo much! Im printing this out and making it this weekend. Thank you so much.
I would eat at the Iron Gate every Saturday and would have the poulet’. The original owners daughter has opened one in Huntsville Alabama and serves it also and also the wonderful mint tea!
I am reading your post from last July about Christy Jordan’s Chicken Poulet. You say the owner of the Iron Gate has a daughter that has opened one in Huntsville. Wondering where in the world it is located…I live here and have not heard about it. Would love to find it! Thanks!
I think it might be the Main Street Cafe on Main Street in Madison. Good food. But she’s only open for lunch.
It is Main Street Cafe. I think Victoria’s in South Huntsville also has Poulet de Normandie on their menu. That’s what it’s called at Main St. Cafe. Delicious!
Does this recipe freeze well? I’m thinking of making a double batch and sticking one in the freezer.
I’m soooo glad i found your website. My sister LOVES chicken poulet and i can’t wait to make it for her. I also remember going to the Iron Gate once when I was in high school. (Go Brewer Patriots!) I can remember feeling like such a grown-up because i went with a couple of my girlfriends and no parents. We thought we were riding “high on the hog”!
christy, i ,too, remember the iron gate and all of the wonderful meals i had there….i also love this chicken poulet, but i have a question——–my mother made what she called ‘ chicken poulet ‘ for years and EVERYBODY absoutely loved it. she made it on the stove in a big stockpot ( cause she was feeding it to a bunch of folks ) it was soupy enough you needed to spoon it out of the pot-and she served it in pastry tarts……she NEVER wrote down the recipie and none of us have a clue——————-do you possibly have any idea about this??ingredients?? etc..it wasn’t chicken-a-la-king i know that, but she always called it poulet……………………………… help ??????????????
So Christy, If we substitute turkey for the chicken in this tasty recipe…it would become… Turkey Dindon…???!!! Sounds tasty, too! Love everthing about Southern Plate!
hehehehehehehe
You know me…could,’t resist…pro’bly ’cause I didn’t try very hard! LOL
I believe that there is a bed and breakfast in Hartselle that serves this. They have catered some of our lunches at work. They serve the Poulet with seasoned green beans, rolls and a delicious strawberry pretzel salad. Yum!
I am planning to make your Poulet tomorrow. I love this stuff and always get it when we eat at Victoria’s in Huntsville. I am s excited about trying yours b/c it sounds so yummy and easy! One question….a 9×13 is a LOT for 2 people. I am planning to make 2 smaller ones instead but wonder about freezing it. Does it freeze well and if so, do you freeze it before or after you cook it? Thanks!
How funny! My family is in Madison & Athens and I lived in Little Rock where I listen to your cousin daily! Small world!
Small world indeed Courtney!!
I work for a local Dr. in Athens and yesterday we had lunch brought in from a Rep. and he brought Chicken Poulet from the Oden House in Hartselle. It was the best i have ever put in my mouth.
I hope this recipe compares! My family will love it!
You will have to let me know after you try it Stephanie!!
I will be sure to do that Christy!
This one’s on my dinner table tonight! Thanks, Christy
oh, yummy, just assembled this and popped it in the fridge so that it will be ready to go in the oven tonight!
i have made something similar to this in the past, only because the cupboards were nearly bare — I used what I had and made up something. Think the only thing I didn’t use was onions because I didn’t have any on hand. I unwittingly made CHICKEN CHICKEN!! Woohoo and h’ray!!!
I’m so glad you reminded us of this one! This would be perfect for Sunday dinner we’re having at church this Sunday! (some call it “potluck”. I’m just not a fan of that word… we called it “Dinner on the ground(s)”. Who knows why. lol) Anyway, this would be great! Thank you!
This recipe looks DEELICIOUS! (But I went to print it and didn’t find a quick link to print. Did the next best thing–copied and pasted to a document.)
Thanks, Cristy, for all your wonderful recipes!
AINT stuffin, becauit isnt inside of a bird. it s dressing. I wouldnt call it either, not homemade dressing.
johhnny
Oh – i remember the Iron Gate -it was always a favoirte place for my mom/sister and me to get together. Somewhere I have their recipe for Mss/Aunt Daisy’s casserole somewhere – my two favorite things from there were this chicken and the Daisy casserole.
The other thing was that frozen pink fruit salad – I have it somewhere in one of about 50 local area church/group recipe books and I can’t put my finger on it!
Christy, You did not answer the questions about if Chicken Poulet could be frozen, either after it is assembled but not baked or or after baking. A whole cassarole would way too much for my husband and me. I enjoy Southern Plate and joined the Front Pouch forum a day or so ago. Thank you !!
I’ve never tried it myself but it should be alright.
See you on the porch!
I don’t see why you couldn’t freeze half of this, I would freeze it before baking, then thaw and bake. I often make casseroles on this idea and have leftovers another night! Luckily my husband likes what I call “planned-overs”!
I LOVED going to The Iron Gate. The lady that use to have that IS in Madison at Main Street Cafe. Wished Iron Gate was still open because it was a perfect “ladies” place to go, so pretty. Hey Christy, are you any closer to being able to go out for our lunch date? I know you’re a busy woman.
I cook your recipes & listen to him on the radio….keeping it all in the family:)
My mother in law makes this. Only she calls it Chicken Trash
Can you use the Stove Top Stuffing mix with this? I have everything to make it but the cornbread stuffing.
Yes, I think Stovetop would work just fine!
can you use other stuffing cubes.. like herb,, instead of corn bread?
Yes Ma’am! As long as you use the bagged stuffing it will work out great so tweak it to suit your own tastes
Gratefully,
Christy
I have had this at Main Street Cafe in Madison. Very good. I think they are open 11-2 for lunch and then open again from 5-9 again I think for dinner. Good recipe.
Not open for dinner now. Lunches only 11-2.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE HOMEMADE CORNBREAD FOR THE “STUFFING MIX”? IF SO, HOW MANY CUPS? WOULD I NEED TO ADD ANYTHING ELSE THAT IS IN THE MIX? THANKS!!
Ohh. I loved that Restaurant. We would have this and the sweet potato casserole.. Ohh! So good! Thank you so much!
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Christy – Love your recipes, they never fail! Trying out this Chicken Chicken today. Is it a hard and fast rule that you have to let it sit 8 hours? Or can I get by with just 4 hours instead? Really want this for dinner tonight, but if I have to, I’ll wait until tomorrow. : ) Thanks!
Does this recipe use Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom? it’s listed at the top as Cream of Chicken, and at the bottom in the ingredients list as Cream of Mushroom……
Probably wouldn’t make too much of a difference, would it?
How long can this sit in the fridge for-does it turn bad after too many hours?
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I have eaten at Iron Gate many times and also at Main Street Cafe in Madison. I love the spice tea, both hot tea and cold tea. I used to love love love the Pumpkin roll with the cream cheese icing. I even ate at the Iron Gate when it was in the Yellow house on Johnston Street. The name may have changed by them but I have eaten at all three of them. Yummm
[...] Meal: Chicken Poulet [A casserole... you can view the recipe here.] [...]
Sounds awesome! Can’t wait to try it.
Let me know what you think Kay, hope you like it!
Ok…just made it for tomorrow and so exctied. Quick question: My stuffing bag was 14 oz, not 16 oz as listed. So, when i poured the egg/milk mixture over it, the whole thing is just soaking in it. Your picture looks like just the right amount. I have so much that it’s coming up on the ends. Not sure how that will cook..? ALso, my stuffing mix looks alot more soggy than in your pics. As you can see, I’m a beginner, but hoping to impress the hubs and his momma w/ this dish! Looks delish and hope I didnt mess it up!
I think it’ll be fine. It’s VERY soupy at the start, will be less so in the morning and even more as it cooks. I bought it from a caterer once when I was younger and as I carried it, fully cooked, I spilled liquid from the dish. Yours wont be like that when it’s done, promise!
Have a great meal!
Does anyone have a suggestion for a substitution for the green onions? I love them but hubby doesn’t. I thought about frozen chopped brocoli, thawed and drained, but would that be adding more moisture? Any suggestion are appreciated!
Also, when leaving a reply, what are you supposed to put in the box marked Website?
Christy, do you think it would still taste as good if I used regular stuffing mix instead of corn bread stuffing mix? Trying to please all my picky eaters
I have seen several recipes for chicken & dressing in the crock pot. My family loves chicken poulet. Do you think the poulet will work in a crock pot?
LOL, that’s the same question I was about to ask. I’m gonna give it a shot sometime later this month… reduce the liquid by about 1/2 cup and cook on low for 5ish hours or high for 3ish… Let me know how it turns out if you try it before I do.
I’m with Margo, it says cream of chicken one place and cream of mushroom another, which is it , or do you use both?? Please advise, thank you! I’ve got to try this one soon….
Would it be ok to freeze this recipe? If yes, for how long?
I would bake it first and then freeze it. It should keep for about 3 months.
We have THE SAME BOWL and yes, it did belong to my mother! Use is all the time, fun there are a few left floating around out there
I used to have the whole set of those beautiful Bowls, I believe they came in three colors, Turquoise, Peach, & Yellow, hmmmm I wonder what became of them, oh well enough reminiscing. I love your Blog and the recipes are so easy and mouth waterimng. Thank you, Christy and may the Lord continue to
bless you. Nora
Christy, got to admit never had this before…so..just so happened I had the ingredients for this…easy to put together last night..came home from work and popped in the oven…it was really good…I am figuring out that the secret to a good dinner is the prep the night before…(don’t get home til 6)…just gotta remember that…this was a good post…thanks..will make again…
I am so glad you liked it Pamela!!