What Can You Stuff A Whole Chicken With? Stuffing a whole chicken has to be one of the easiest ways to cook meat. It’s also one of the tastiest and it’s completely customizable: you can stuff almost everything inside and make it all taste amazing. In this post I will show you all the different things you can stuff your chicken with. From mini pizzas, through cheese, all the way to sandwiches, pies and even complete movies!
5 Easy Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken
A roast chicken with veggies that is juicy and crispy is a meal that every home cook should be able to make with ease.
I don’t understand why a little old bird would appear so terrifying. Maybe because I’ve tried to make the tiny clucker’s recipe more times than any other recipe I’ve attempted to master.
Am I the only person here?
It should be simple to make roast chicken. It’s not like you require cutting-edge equipment or expensive ingredients. Cooks have been roasting birds for, like, ever. It’s one of the basics.
So what was wrong with me?
I’ve tried a number of roast chicken recipes, and the most of them resulted in a bird that was undercooked with juices that were far from running clear. The next time, the chicken was roasted for too long, resulting in dry, sinewy meat that no one in the family liked.
My attempts to make roast chicken were actually turning into a family joke, which I didn’t find funny.
But after preparing numerous whole chickens, I discovered the tricks, which is why I’m now disclosing them.
5 Tips for Juicy Roast Chicken
I’ve discovered a few tips along the way that create a juicy, tender and superbly flavored chicken that’s good enough to serve for Sunday supper or easy enough for a quick weeknight dinner.
Here’s a quick run down that are explained further below:
- What’s the ideal cooking temperature for roast chicken? My response: 425 °F.
- Is the entire chicken cooked covered or uncovered?
- Uncovered unless it starts to brown too much, in which case tent with foil.
- How long does roast chicken take?
- My response: Including rest time, a 5 lb. chicken would take between 1 1/4 and 1 1/2 hours to cook.
- When is a roast chicken done, exactly?
- My response is in Tip #5 down below.
1. Season generously.
The fact that the basic chicken meat has been pumped full of salt or other brining agents makes the majority of grocery store rotisserie chickens taste nice. Although I’m not a huge believer of the Arnold Schwarzenegger “Pump You Up” technique, I do think that the chicken should be liberally seasoned with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper on the inside and outside.
If you just have table salt, use a little less because processed salt has more iodine and imparts a flavor that is a little bit bitter or metallic.
Don’t assume you have to stick to the fundamentals of seasoning.
To give your clucker a distinctive flavor, consider experimenting with herbs and spices to create tasty variants, such as:
- chopped fresh or dried oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and tarragon
- smoked paprika
- truffle salt
- coriander
- garam masala
- cumin
2. Add fat and get under it’s skin.
Apply a butter or olive oil mixture to the chicken to produce a crispy skin and juicy interior while roasting a chicken. Both methods are effective and will transform your bird into a tanned Brazilian stunner from the Rio de Janeiro beaches with a crackling crispy crust.
For the most flavor, choose one of these flavored butters.
Gently separate the skin from the meat on the breasts and legs with your fingers, then add another layer of flavor by rubbing more butter or oil between the skin and the meat.
3. Play with your veggies.
The vegetables in this roast chicken recipe serve two purposes.
In order to impart a wonderful flavor from within that permeates every juicy bite of the chicken meat, first fill your chicken with flavorful veggies and fresh herbs.
I like to use the following vegetables and herbs:
- lemon
- onion
- garlic
- celery
- carrots
- turnips
- herbs such as fresh rosemary, tarragon, parsley, thyme
Create a natural cooking surface on the roasting pan’s base next. Scattered vegetables give the chicken flavor throughout and prevent the skin on the bottom from sticking to the pan. They also make an incredible foundation for pan drippings. To adapt the taste to varied flavors throughout the year, use a variety of seasonal vegetables.
No need to even peel the vegetables; simply quarter or cut them into large chunks.
If desired, add 1 cup of water, chicken broth, or wine to the pan’s bottom.
4. The best oven temperature to roast chicken.
Our chicken is being roasted, not baked. Because of this, a high temperature will guarantee a crispy exterior and juicy interior.
Cook your chicken at 425°F while basting it occasionally.
To remove the chill and ensure a more uniform cooking time, remove your chicken from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
5. How to tell when the chicken is done. Plan on 15-18 minutes of cooking time per pound, then add 15 minutes plus resting time. For a 5-pound chicken, I plan on 75-90 minutes for a roast chicken to be done. There are three ways I use to tell if a chicken is done, and I do each of them every time I roast chicken:
- Use an instant-read thermometer inserted between the breast and thigh meat, avoiding the bone. This is my favorite thermometer. The temperature of the chicken should read between 155° to 160° F. Allow 10-15 minutes of resting time once you’ve pulled the chicken from the oven so the juices seal into the meat where the chicken will continue to cook as it rests, bringing the temperature up to the recommended 165°F internal temperature.
- Check to see the juices are running clear with no streaks of blood or color. I can usually tell when I pull my thermometer from the meat and the juices run out.
- Wiggle the chicken leg. If it is loose and pliable, the chicken is likely done. As you cook more chickens, you’ll become better at using this method by touch.
What to Serve With Roast Chicken to Make a Meal
- The Best Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Heavenly Funeral Potatoes Recipe
- Rosemary Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Mashed Cauliflower With Parmesan and Chives
- Roasted Asparagus with Browned Butter
- Sweet Carrots with Tarragon
- Green Beans and Shiitake Mushrooms
- Winter Green Salad with Orange Honey Mustard Vinaigrette
Garlic-Stuffed Roasted Chicke
Recipe Summary
Servings:
4
Ingredients
Ingredient Checklist
- 3/4 cup Roasted Garlic
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Instructions Checklist
- Set the oven to 425 degrees. Use a fork to roughly mash 3/4 cup of roasted garlic in a small basin. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Step 2Rinse and pat dry the chicken inside and out. To release the skin on the breast, thighs, and legs, carefully slide your fingertips between the skin and the meat. Spread mashed garlic evenly under skin, working your way back toward the neck from the calf and thigh area. Sprinkle salt and pepper liberally on the inside and outside of the chicken. Place chicken’s wing tips below and join the legs with kitchen twine.
- Step 3Highly heat a roasting pan or 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Add the oil, swirl it around the pan, then add the chicken. After one minute of cooking, place skillet in oven. An instant-read thermometer should read 160 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, avoiding the bone, after roasting the chicken for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the skin is a deep golden brown and the juices run clear when punctured between the breast and the leg. 10 minutes should pass before carving.
Cook’s Notes
For a slightly different flavor: Add 2 tablespoons lemon zest or chopped herbs, like parsley or thyme, to mashed garlic.