Traditionally stuffing is placed in the belly of the bird, but this method makes a moist and tasty stuffing as well. The juices from the bird fall into the stuffing below, allowing you to make much more stuffing than a small bird would fit. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, you can enjoy a Thanksgiving-style meal any day!
Ingredients
1 2lb to 3lb roasting chicken
2 tablespoons paprika
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons garlic herb butter*
Salt and pepper
Making Garlic Herb Butter
Wrap 2 large garlic cloves in silver foil and roast for 30 minutes at 425°F. Whip 1/2 cup unsalted butter with 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, 1 teaspoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon lemon pepper, and the roasted garlic. Wrap the butter into a log shape in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1/2 hour. Once cooled, slice as needed. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Ingredients – Stuffing
3 mini baguettes, cubed
3 andouille sausages, casing removed
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped leek
1/4 cup chopped celery
4 sprigs thyme
Kosher salt to taste
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
Cut the bread into 1” cubes and allow it to rest uncovered for one day to dry. Alternatively, heat your oven to 100°F and place the bread cubes onto a pizza pan. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until they feel dry to the touch. Set the bread aside.
In a large pan, heat the oil and add the onion, leek, celery, sage, and thyme sprigs. Season with salt to taste. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until soft. While the vegetables are cooking, remove the casing from the sausages by squeezing the sausage with your hand. Discard the casing. Add the sausage meat to the vegetables, and using a wooden spoon, break apart the meat. Cook for 10 minutes or until the sausage is fully cooked. Add the pine nuts and cook for an additional minute. Remove the mixture from the heat and add it to the cubed bread. Remove any thyme spears from the stuffing and discard them. Toss the bread with the vegetables and add the chicken stock. Toss to lightly moisten the bread.
Place a chicken roasting stand in a pyrex baking dish. Add the prepared stuffing around the stand, using your hands to push it down where the chicken will rest. Once this is ready, preheat your oven to convect roast 375°F. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 180°F when cooked (approximately 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour and 40 minutes).
Prepare the chicken by patting the outside dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, spread the herb butter in the cavity (*herb butter can be prepared ahead of time and used in recipes as needed). Brush the outside with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Place the chicken, cavity side down, onto the roasting stand. Push the chicken down until it rests in the stuffing. Cover the sides with silver foil and bake in the preheated oven. For the last 15 minutes of baking, remove the silver foil. Once cooked, allow the chicken to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Serves 4 to 6.
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Patataki 