
Roasting a whole chicken can be intimidating, but it's a great way to add flavour to the whole bird. A stuffed roast chicken is also an economical way to make dinner for a group, and you can use the leftovers for a chicken broth. To make a stuffed roast chicken, you'll need to preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare your favourite stuffing. Then, simply place the stuffing inside the chicken cavity, leaving enough room for steam to circulate.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Oven temperature | 350°F |
Chicken weight | 3 pounds |
Bake time | 1-1.5 hours |
Bake time per pound | 20-25 minutes |
Internal temperature | 165°F |
What You'll Learn
How long to roast a stuffed chicken at 350
Roasting a stuffed chicken is an easy way to add flavour to the whole bird. It's also an economical way to make dinner for a crowd, and you can use the leftovers for a chicken broth.
To roast a stuffed chicken at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you should allow for 20-25 minutes per pound of chicken. This means that a 3-pound chicken should be completely cooked in a little over an hour. A 5-pound chicken will take approximately 2 hours.
You'll know the chicken is done when the meat is no longer pink at the bone, the juices run clear, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (near the bone) reads 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
It's important to note that the cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken and the efficiency of your oven, so it's always a good idea to use a meat thermometer to ensure that your chicken is cooked thoroughly.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare your favourite stuffing and place it inside the chicken cavity, leaving about 2/3 full to allow for steam circulation.
- Gently lift the skin away from the breast meat and place herbed butter and bay leaves underneath for delicious results.
- Bend the wings under the bird to prevent them from burning.
- Wrap the chicken with kitchen twine from top to tail, tying the legs neatly together to keep everything in place while it cooks.
- Place the chicken in a large roasting pan surrounded by cubed vegetables such as celery and potatoes, and herbs such as rosemary and thyme.
- Baste the chicken with the pan drippings every 20 minutes to promote browning and infuse more flavour.
- If you want extra crispy skin, turn on the broiler to high and broil for an additional 5 minutes after the chicken is cooked, keeping a close eye on it to prevent burning.
- Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before serving, as it will continue to cook gradually from the residual heat.
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Preparing the chicken
The next step is to prepare your chosen seasoning mix. This could be as simple as melted butter or a more complex mix of butter, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. You should then generously rub the butter mixture all over the outside of the chicken.
Now it's time to stuff the chicken. Slowly add your chosen stuffing into the cavity of the chicken, ensuring you don't overfill it—only fill it about two-thirds full to allow room for steam to circulate. If you want to add extra flavour, gently lift the skin away from the breast meat and place herbed butter and bay leaves underneath. Truss the chicken by tying it snugly with kitchen string so that the legs stay close to the body. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken to prevent them from burning during the roasting process.
Place the chicken breast-side up on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. If you don't have a roasting rack, you can place the chicken directly on top of some chopped vegetables such as carrots, onions, celery, and potatoes.
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Preparing the stuffing
Choosing the Ingredients:
- Bread: Select a combination of dry bread, such as white and wheat bread, or use store-bought dried bread cubes. You can also use sourdough bread or cornbread for a unique twist.
- Vegetables: The classic combination is celery and onions, but feel free to add shredded carrots, raisins, dried cranberries, or even cooked sausage for extra flavour.
- Seasonings: Poultry seasoning is an excellent choice, blending sage, thyme, and rosemary. Alternatively, you can use ground sage or your favourite blend of spices.
- Broth: Chicken or turkey broth adds moisture, and the amount used will depend on the dryness of the bread.
- Butter: Don't skimp on the butter! It's essential for flavour and moisture.
- Dry the bread: Ensure the bread is completely dry before adding broth. This can be done by leaving it out for a few days or baking it in the oven at 300°F for about 10 minutes.
- Cook the vegetables: Melt butter in a skillet and cook the onions, celery, and any other vegetables until tender. This will add flavour and moisture to the stuffing.
- Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, mix the dried bread cubes, cooked vegetables, seasonings, and broth. Gently toss until everything is well combined and moist but not soggy.
- Stuff the chicken: Once the chicken is cleaned and seasoned, slowly add the stuffing mixture into the cavity. Truss the chicken by tying it with kitchen string to keep the legs close to the body.
Baking the Stuffed Chicken:
- Place the chicken: Put the stuffed chicken breast-side up on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. If you don't have a rack, you can place it directly on chopped vegetables like carrots and onions.
- Roast at 350°F: Depending on the size of your chicken, roast it for 1 to 1.5 hours at 350°F. The internal temperature should reach 165°F, measured with a meat thermometer.
- Baste and broil: For extra crispy skin, baste the chicken with pan drippings every 20 minutes, and optionally broil on high for an additional 5 minutes at the end.
- Rest and serve: Let the chicken rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy your delicious roast stuffed chicken!
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Cooking the chicken
Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Before you stuff the chicken, you'll want to prepare the bird by patting it dry with a paper towel. This helps create an extra crispy skin when roasting. Then, rub salt and pepper all over the chicken, inside and out. Set the chicken aside for at least 30 minutes or refrigerate it overnight.
Next, prepare your stuffing. You can use a store-bought stuffing mix or make your own. If you're making your own, try mixing melted butter with paprika, garlic powder, thyme, and rosemary. You can also add chopped vegetables, like celery, onion, and carrot, to the mix.
Now it's time to stuff the chicken. Slowly add the stuffing into the cavity of the chicken, filling it about 2/3 full. This leaves enough room for steam to circulate and cook the stuffing evenly. After stuffing, truss the chicken by tying it snugly with kitchen string so that the legs stay close to the body. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken to prevent them from burning.
Place the chicken breast-side up on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. If you don't have a roasting rack, you can place the chicken directly on top of some chopped vegetables like carrots, onions, or celery.
Roast the chicken for 1 to 1.5 hours, depending on its size. As a rule of thumb, you'll need to bake for 20-25 minutes per pound of chicken at 350°F. The chicken is done when its internal temperature reaches 165°F as measured with a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. To promote browning and infuse more flavour, baste the chicken with the pan drippings every 20 minutes.
If you want extra crispy skin, turn on the broiler to high and broil the chicken for an additional 5 minutes after it's done roasting. Keep a close eye on it, as things can heat up and burn quickly under the broiler.
Finally, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving and serving. This resting period allows the juices to redistribute and the chicken to finish cooking gradually from residual heat.
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Carving and serving the chicken
Now that your chicken is roasted, it's time to carve and serve it. Here is a step-by-step guide:
- Set up a carving station: Tilt the chicken over the roasting pan to drain any excess juices into the pan. Place the chicken breast-side up on a cutting board and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute within the meat and also prevents the chicken from drying out when you slice into it.
- Make your first cut: Place the chicken breast-side up on the cutting board. Pull one of the legs slightly away from the body and carefully slice through the leg meat and skin.
- Pull back the leg and thigh: With some force, pull back the leg to expose the hip joint. Keep pulling until the round end of the hip bone pops up.
- Cut off the leg and thigh: Place your knife between the round end of the hip bone and the body of the chicken. Push your knife straight down to detach the leg.
- Separate the drumstick and thigh: Place your knife along the natural line between the drumstick and thigh. Push straight down and cut through the joint. You may need to use some force to cut through the bone. Repeat this process with the other leg.
- Cut along the breastbone: Slide your knife along one side of the center breastbone. Move your knife from the front to the back of the chicken while simultaneously pulling the breast meat away from the bone. Repeat on the other side.
- Slice the breast meat: Place the breast meat skin-side up on the cutting board and remove the wing portion. Leave a bit of skin attached to each piece. Using a saw-like motion, cut the breast into smaller pieces. Repeat with the other side.
- Arrange your platter: Place the carved chicken pieces on a serving platter. You can pair the chicken with any side dishes of your choice.
Some additional tips:
- Use a boning knife if you have one, as it provides better control and angle when cutting close to the bone. If not, a large or medium-sized chef's knife will also work.
- Always cut between the joints of the chicken to avoid slicing into the meat and to keep the meat on the bone.
- Keep paper towels or a kitchen towel nearby as your hands will get slippery during the carving process.
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