Best 7 Greens Stuffed Roasted Chicken Recipes

ROAST CHICKEN WITH GREEN HERB STUFFING

Steps:

• Wash the chicken under cool running water and pat it dry with paper towels. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours and as long as 2 days.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Oil a roasting or baking pan with canola oil.
• Make the stuffing: Put the breadcrumbs in a medium bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the liver and gizzard with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet and when it melts, add the giblets and cook quickly until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer them to a cutting board, chop finely and add to the breadcrumbs. Off of the heat, add the wine and scrape the bottom of the skillet to dislodge the brown bits; pour the liquid onto the breadcrumbs and mix.
• Add the pork to the skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes; scrape the pork into the bowl with the bread mixture. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter, the onions and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the onions are soft and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the sage and garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted. Scrape the mixture and all the buttery juices onto the breadcrumbs and mix to combine. Add the chives and lemon zest and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
• Loosen the skin over the chicken breasts. Insert the remaining 4 tablespoons cold butter under the skin of the chicken breasts, pushing down to disperse them. Rub the chicken all over with a thin film of canola oil. Sprinkle the chicken heavily on all sides with 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with the bread mixture, and stuff the neck skin with any remaining stuffing. Set the bird in the oiled roasting pan.
• Roast the chicken until the skin dries and the butter melts, about 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to 375 degrees F and continue to roast, basting the chicken once or twice with the fat that accumulates in the corners of the pan, until the thickest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 45 to 55 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a large platter to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the pan juices into a bowl and skim off the fat. Pour 1/4 cup water into the roasting pan, set it on a burner on high heat and scrape up any stuck-on bits on the bottom with a rubber spatula. Return the defatted juices to the pan and simmer together for 3 to 5 minutes to make a thin, natural gravy. Season with salt and pepper.
• Carve the chicken on the platter. Slice the wings at the joint, twist to remove them and set them above the chicken. Cut the thighs at the joint, twist to remove them, slice them diagonally at the leg joint to separate them into thigh and drumstick and lay them on the platter. Carve thin slices from the breast meat and let them lay as they fall; pour a little gravy over the white meat, avoiding wetting the crispy skin of the thighs. Cut the stuffed neck in slices, and serve with the rest of the gravy in a small pitcher on the side.

SIMPLE/EASY STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN WITH GRAVY (FOR BEGINNERS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Empty contents of stuffing box, both the bread crumb and seasoning envelopes, into a medium bowl.
• Add hot water and butter; stir to mix.
• Add chopped water chestnuts, onion and poultry seasoning, mix thoroughly and set aside.
• Check inside the chicken for giblets, remove and set aside.
• Rinse chicken inside and out with cold running water.
• Dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towel.
• Sprinkle salt and fresh ground pepper inside the cavity and all over the outside.
• Place chicken in a roaster.
• Loosely pack the stuffing mix into the main cavity and any left into the neck cavity folding the skin over it.
• If necessary secure the neck skin with a pick.
• Take a length of kitchen string and tie the ends of the legs as close together as possible.
• Rub the butter all over the outside of the chicken making sure to cover the whole outside surface.
• Take two lengths of aluminum foil, place one piece over the chicken lengthwise, take the other piece and place it sideways over the first piece.
• Tuck the foil tightly to the chicken so it is touching the bottom of the roaster but not under the bird.
• If the bird is not completely covered (except for the underside) Use a third piece to finish covering.
• Place the roaster on the middle rack of the oven and roast at 400f degrees for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the heat after 15 minutes to 350f degrees and roast for approximately 2 hours.
• At about 2 hours, carefully lift the aluminum foil and poke the chicken with a fork, if the juice runs clear, remove the foil and roast a further 30 minutes to brown the skin to golden.
• If the juice is not yet clear, roast a little longer and check again.
• Once the chicken is well browned, remove to platter, cover with foil and let rest.
• In the meantime, if you wish to make giblet gravy, take the giblets (and neck if it's there), place in a saucepan, cover with water, add salt and pepper and a little poultry seasoning if you wish, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.
• Remove to strainer, reserving liquid.
• Chop the giblets and pick any meat off neck bones, add to a blender and add the liquid.
• Blend to liquefy level, add 3 or 4 tablespoons flour or corn starch and blend to mix well.
• Pour off as much fat as possible from the roaster, take a whisk and move up any bits and pieces of stuffing/chicken stuck to the bottom, remove any large pieces of skin, add the giblet mix from the blender, whisk around; place in 450°F to 500°F degree oven until bubbly, about 10 minutes; add a small amount of hot water if necessary if it is too thick until it is the consistancy you want, cook another 5 minutes.
• (We like ours very thick) Whisk and pour into gravy boat and serve hot with the roast chicken.
• Gravy can also be made without the giblets, just whisk up the brown bits in the roaster and add 1 cup of hot water and make a slurry of cold water and either flour or corn starch, add the slurry and whisk, cook the same as above adding a little more water if necessary.

ROAST STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Mix hot water and margarine in large bowl until margarine is melted. Add stuffing mix; stir just until moistened. Set aside. (Do not stuff chicken until ready to bake.)
• Stuff chicken lightly with prepared stuffing; close openings with skewers and string. Place, breast-side up, on rack in baking pan; sprinkle with thyme.
• Bake 1 hour 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F) and stuffing is heated through (165ºF), basting occasionally with pan juices.

WHOLE STUFFED CHICKEN WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a roasting pan with foil and set a rack in the pan.
• Gather the melted and cold butter.
• Using your hands or a brush, rub the chicken with the melted butter.
• Tuck the pieces of cold butter under the chicken's skin along with the optional fresh herbs. Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Set aside while making the stuffing.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Melt the butter in a skillet or sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped onion and celery. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent and the celery is crisp-tender.
• Add the dried thyme, parsley, and breadcrumbs . Add about 1/3 cup of milk and stir to blend. Taste and season the stuffing with salt and pepper.
• Stir in the beaten egg and enough of the remaining 1/3 cup milk, if needed, one tablespoon at a time to make a moist mixture. Remove from heat.
• Loosely spoon the stuffing into the cavity of the chicken.
• Close the cavity by sewing the loose skin together with toothpicks, or twine. Alternatively, cover the cavity with a piece of foil or a slice of bread.
• Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the rack in the roasting pan.
• Roast the whole chicken in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes, basting several times with the pan juices. When done, the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh, away from fat and bone must read the minimum safe temperature for consumption of 165 F. The stuffing needs to have the same temperature reading.
• Once cooked thoroughly, remove from the oven and let rest for about 15 minutes.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Skim off the fat from the pan drippings, or use a fat separator. Reserve the fat.
• Add three tablespoons of fat back in the roasting pan, reserving the remaining drippings. Add the flour and stir to make a roux . Cook on the stove, stirring, for two minutes.
• Put the reserved drippings in a 2-cup measuring cup and add enough chicken stock until you have 2 full cups of liquid.
• Gradually stir the chicken stock mixture into the roux mixture. Continue cooking the gravy until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Carve the chicken and serve with cooked stuffing and pan gravy.

SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN WITH GREENS (AND BONUS STOCK)

Steps:

• Season your chicken all over (including the cavity) with about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a lot of black pepper. If you like, add the grated garlic clove or two, some lemon zest, some spices like cumin or garam masala, or chopped thyme or rosemary.
• If time permits, let the chicken rest uncovered in the fridge for a few hours to dry out the skin. Stuff the woody herbs, if using, in the cavity either before or after resting.
• When ready to roast, heat the oven to 425 degrees, and, at the same time, heat a skillet on your stovetop for a few minutes. Coat the pan with a little oil or butter, and add the bird so it's lying on its back. Let it cook for about 5 minutes, then move it to the oven.
• Roast the bird until it's burnished all over and the wing tips - if your chicken still has them attached - are a little singed, about 45 minutes for a small bird, and up to 75 minutes for a larger bird. The juices should run clear if you prick the thigh with a fork. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should read 165 degrees.) Move the bird to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Return the same pan to the stove and set it over medium heat until the drippings sizzle. Add the leeks and garlic and sauté until tender and golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the kale and a splash of water and cook until the leaves are very tender and the water evaporates. If the kale is still tough and the pan is dry, add another splash of water. Season with salt and serve with the chicken. Pick any remaining meat off the carcass and save it for another meal.
• Make the optional stock: Put the chicken bones in a medium pot. Add a teaspoon of salt and whatever aromatics you have around: an onion or other alliums, leftover leek tops, a carrot, a bay leaf, herbs or herb stems, peppercorns, a celery stalk or the tops.
• Cover with cold water and let it all simmer for 2 or 3 hours. Or use an electric pressure cooker and let it cook at high pressure for 1 hour, or a slow cooker for 3 to 6 hours. Strain it after it cools, if you like. Stock will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

ROASTED WHOLE CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GREEN STUFFING

Steps:

• Prepare medium sized roasting pan with rack by coating rack with olive oil (should be a roasting pan no larger than necessary to hold the three breasts and that can be placed on top of the stove for making the sauce)
• Peel and roughly chop 4 cloves of garlic
• Roughly chop spinach
• Tear basil into small pieces
• Place large skillet over high heat
• When hot, add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, salt, spinach and basil
• Grate fresh nutmeg into skillet
• Stir fry until greeens are wilted and soft
• Remove from heat and set aside to cool
• Clean chicken breasts and remove any obvious clumps of fat or protruding skin
• Preheat oven to 425°F
• With your fingers, gently loosen skin from flesh of the chicken breasts
• Again, gently, stuff greens mixture between the skin and the flesh of the breasts
• Massage the surface of the breasts to evenly distribute the stuffing
• Cut each lemon in half lengthwise (stem to end)
• Rub the outside of the chicken breasts with butter
• Squeeze the juice of one half of one lemon over the breasts and sprinkle the breasts with salt and pepper
• Split the whole head of garlic into cloves; do not peel
• Scatter the garlic gloves in the bottom of the roasting pan
• Scrub potatoes; do not peel
• If very small, leave whole; if larger, cut in half
• Scatter potatoes in the bottom of the roasting pan
• Place the three whole breasts, skin side down, on the oiled rack
• Place a lemon half in the cavity of each breast
• Roast 20 minutes
• Baste with a third of the white wine
• Carefully (without tearing the skin of the breast if possible) turn breast skin side up, placing lemon in cavity beneath each breast
• Baste with pan juices
• Roast another 20 minutes
• Turn oven down to 375°F
• Baste with pan juices; if there is not sufficient liquid in the pan, add more white wine and/or water
• Roast another 10-12 minutes
• Check for doneness
• Remove from oven; tent with foil and allow to rest for at least ten to fifteen minutes
• Remove excess fat from pan (there should be very little)
• Remove potatoes and keep warm
• Remove garlic cloves and squeeze out roasted garlic into the roasting pan
• Place pan on stovetop over medium heat
• Add mushrooms and allow to saute without stirring for 1 - 2 minutes
• Turn mushrooms and saute another minute
• Turn heat to high and add remaining wine and 1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth
• Scrape to deglaze and simmer until slightly reduced
• Taste for seasoning
• (Optional) Whisk in 1 - 2 Tablespoons of butter
• Note: This is lovely served on a bed of steamed fresh spinach

STUFFED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ROASTED POTATOES AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; grease with cooking spray.
• Spread chicken thighs open on a flat work surface. Pound to an even thickness with the flat side of a meat mallet. Season with salt and pepper.
• Beat egg with a fork in large bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, onion, tomato, and black olives. Mix in enough bread crumbs to bind the filling together.
• Put a spoonful of the filling in the center of each chicken thigh. Fold chicken over filling, tucking in any loose ends. Secure chicken thighs with toothpicks; arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese over chicken thighs.
• Arrange potatoes and carrots around chicken thighs. Drizzle olive oil over vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken juices run clear and vegetables are tender, 35 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the chicken should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).