Chicken and Peach Pecan Dressing

You can also substitute dried apples for the peaches if you want.

1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken

1 teaspoon salt

1 small carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

1 celery stalk, cut into chunks

1 small onion, quartered

2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, divided

6 cups cornbread crumbs

4 cups torn bread pieces from hamburger buns

1½ teaspoons dried sage

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup dried peaches, finely diced (3 ounces)

½ cup roasted pecans, chopped

Place the chicken in a large saucepan and cover with water. Add the salt, carrot, celery, and onion. This flavors the broth. I do not use the cooked vegetables; however, if you wanted to you could chop them after cooking and add to the dressing. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is tender, approximately 1 hour. When the chicken is tender, remove the skin and bones. Cut into pieces. Strain the broth and mix 1 cup with 1 can of the soup and pour over the chicken. Reserve 3 cups of broth for the dressing. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and keep warm.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9 × 11-inch baking dish. In a large bowl mix the cornbread crumbs, torn bread pieces, sage, black pepper, dried peaches, and pecans together. Stir in the remaining 3 cups hot chicken broth and the remaining can of cream of chicken soup. Mix well and pour into the baking dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with the chicken.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.