"The real test of a good chef is a perfectly roasted chicken", a quote by Julia Child. Roasted stuffed chicken on a dining table is always inviting whether it is for a Sunday meal or holiday season, definitely impressive and eye-catching. Economical in feeding a crowd, loved and enjoyed by all. Served with gravy and extra stuffing, the succulent meat with the beautifully golden brown crispy skin is a real treat to the eyes and tummy.
To roast a chicken, select one that is nice and plump. Prepare the stuffing and set aside to cool. Tuck compound butter under the skin to flavour the meat and keep it moist. Stuff and roast in a preheated oven at 350 F or 180 C for 1 hour 30 to 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 F or 74 C. Baste the bird with drippings and rotate the pan at regular intervals to ensure that it is uniformly cooked and browned. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. A slice or two drizzled with gravy and a scoop of stuffing is comforting and satisfying.
Stuffing, also known as filling or dressing consists of pieces of bread, vegetables, spices and herbs. It can be stuffed in the cavity of the bird or served as an accompaniment.
Gravy is made from roux with butter and flour. Enhanced with pan drippings that include juices from the roasted bird. Seasoned, stirred and thickened until smooth.
To roast a chicken, select one that is nice and plump. Prepare the stuffing and set aside to cool. Tuck compound butter under the skin to flavour the meat and keep it moist. Stuff and roast in a preheated oven at 350 F or 180 C for 1 hour 30 to 40 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 F or 74 C. Baste the bird with drippings and rotate the pan at regular intervals to ensure that it is uniformly cooked and browned. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving. A slice or two drizzled with gravy and a scoop of stuffing is comforting and satisfying.
Stuffing, also known as filling or dressing consists of pieces of bread, vegetables, spices and herbs. It can be stuffed in the cavity of the bird or served as an accompaniment.
Gravy is made from roux with butter and flour. Enhanced with pan drippings that include juices from the roasted bird. Seasoned, stirred and thickened until smooth.
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Roasted Chicken Stuffed With Sausage & Bacon
(Serves 6)
Stuffing
Ingredients:
225 grams smoked sausages (of choice)
5 strips low-sodium bacon
6 thick slices of crusty whole wheat loaf
1 large onion (chopped)
1 celery stalk (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 cups chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon Italian or poultry seasoning
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup cashewnuts
freshly cracked pepper
a dash of bouillon cube
2 tablespoons oil or butter
salt (if needed)
Method:
Peel off casing from the sausages, cut into small pieces. Keep aside.
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Cut slices of bread into small cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Place bacon strips on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into pieces.
Heat oil in a pan, saute onion, celery and garlic until soft. Add the sausages, bacon, raisins and cashewnuts (separate the two halves). Fry well then, pour warm stock or water. Bring to boil and mix in the toasted bread cubes to lightly moisten. Season with a dash of bouillon cube, Italian or poultry seasoning and freshly cracked black pepper. Use salt, if needed.
Note:
Compound Butter
Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
seasoning salt
Method:
In a bowl, combine the butter with the seasoning salt. Set aside.
Chicken
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 1.5 kg
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt
Method:
Cut the tail off the chicken, rinse well, pat dry with paper towels and season with salt.
Mix all the ingredients for the compound butter in a bowl. Carefully lift the skin and spread the compound butter all over the meat under the skin. Do not spread on top of the skin.
Take enough stuffing to be filled in a separate bowl. Transfer rest of the stuffing in a baking dish ensuring not to contaminate it with the raw chicken.
Spoon the stuffing from the bowl lightly into the neck area. Pull the skin back and secure with a stainless steel skewer. Loosely stuff the body cavity and ensure to close it with a skewer too. This prevents the stuffing from burning and falling out. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with a twine.
Using a silicone brush, apply 1 tablespoon olive oil on the outer skin.
Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Place the chicken facing breast side up on a rack set in a roasting pan, filled with 1-inch water. Adding water to the pan keeps the chicken moist during the cooking process. Ensure to tuck the wings underneath.
Roast chicken for 1 hour 30 to 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 F or 74 C. Baste the bird with drippings and rotate the pan at regular intervals to ensure that it is uniformly cooked and browned.
Mix honey with white wine, brush all over the chicken few minutes before taking it out of the oven. Keep a watchful eye, the skin browns quickly.
Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
Carve, serve slices with extra stuffing and gravy.
Note:
Gravy
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Drippings from the pan (strained or use a separator)
1/2 cup cream or milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt
Method:
Melt butter and sprinkle flour. Using a whisk, cook flour for a couple of minutes, then slowly mix in the drippings to avoid any lumps. Add the cream, thyme, season with pepper and salt.
Simmer until the gravy thickens, then serve.
(Serves 6)
Stuffing
Ingredients:
225 grams smoked sausages (of choice)
5 strips low-sodium bacon
6 thick slices of crusty whole wheat loaf
1 large onion (chopped)
1 celery stalk (chopped)
4 large cloves of garlic (chopped)
2 cups chicken broth or water
1 teaspoon Italian or poultry seasoning
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup cashewnuts
freshly cracked pepper
a dash of bouillon cube
2 tablespoons oil or butter
salt (if needed)
Method:
Peel off casing from the sausages, cut into small pieces. Keep aside.
Preheat oven to 400 F or 200 C.
Cut slices of bread into small cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Place bacon strips on a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into pieces.
Heat oil in a pan, saute onion, celery and garlic until soft. Add the sausages, bacon, raisins and cashewnuts (separate the two halves). Fry well then, pour warm stock or water. Bring to boil and mix in the toasted bread cubes to lightly moisten. Season with a dash of bouillon cube, Italian or poultry seasoning and freshly cracked black pepper. Use salt, if needed.
Note:
- Italian seasoning was used.
- No salt was added.
- Stuffing is absolutely delicious.
Compound Butter
Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
seasoning salt
Method:
In a bowl, combine the butter with the seasoning salt. Set aside.
Chicken
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 1.5 kg
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt
Method:
Cut the tail off the chicken, rinse well, pat dry with paper towels and season with salt.
Mix all the ingredients for the compound butter in a bowl. Carefully lift the skin and spread the compound butter all over the meat under the skin. Do not spread on top of the skin.
Take enough stuffing to be filled in a separate bowl. Transfer rest of the stuffing in a baking dish ensuring not to contaminate it with the raw chicken.
Spoon the stuffing from the bowl lightly into the neck area. Pull the skin back and secure with a stainless steel skewer. Loosely stuff the body cavity and ensure to close it with a skewer too. This prevents the stuffing from burning and falling out. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together with a twine.
Using a silicone brush, apply 1 tablespoon olive oil on the outer skin.
Preheat the oven to 350 F or 180 C.
Place the chicken facing breast side up on a rack set in a roasting pan, filled with 1-inch water. Adding water to the pan keeps the chicken moist during the cooking process. Ensure to tuck the wings underneath.
Roast chicken for 1 hour 30 to 40 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 F or 74 C. Baste the bird with drippings and rotate the pan at regular intervals to ensure that it is uniformly cooked and browned.
Mix honey with white wine, brush all over the chicken few minutes before taking it out of the oven. Keep a watchful eye, the skin browns quickly.
Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
Carve, serve slices with extra stuffing and gravy.
Note:
- Ensure to remove the neck and giblets if any from the chicken cavity.
- Fill the body cavity loosely with stuffing not tightly.
- Heat extra stuffing in a preheated oven at 350 F or 180 C for 15 minutes. Serve hot.
- Wine can be substituted with a dash of water.
- Though it takes 1 hour 30 minutes to roast a whole chicken, one that is stuffed takes few minutes longer.
- If water dries out from the roasting pan, add more.
Gravy
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Drippings from the pan (strained or use a separator)
1/2 cup cream or milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
salt
Method:
Melt butter and sprinkle flour. Using a whisk, cook flour for a couple of minutes, then slowly mix in the drippings to avoid any lumps. Add the cream, thyme, season with pepper and salt.
Simmer until the gravy thickens, then serve.
