The best festive family meal - Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken
This Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken will be our centerpiece this year for Christmas Eve. These are the top reasons why we believe you should make it too:
- the roasted chicken is stuffed with a rich and delicious bread stuffing
- the meat is juicy and melts in your mouth, while the skin is golden-brown and crispy outside
- no need to make any other side dishes, as we serve it with roasted root vegetables and bread stuffing
- for a more festive look, decorate the platter with oranges and pomegranates
- it feeds the whole family, and you can easily store or freeze any leftovers
Essential ingredients
LIDL is sponsoring this recipe, so we bought all the ingredients in their store. Every element plays a vital role in the recipe. You can find the whole recipe below. Here, we share a bit more information about the ingredients and substitutes.
Bread - choose white bread for this recipe. It's best to use one-day-old bread, as it soaks better.
Heavy cream - will soften the bread and bring out the best flavors. Optionally substitute the heavy cream with milk.
Pancetta - adds a lovely, meaty, and smokey flavor. Optionally, use bacon.
Chicken - choose a fresh whole chicken. Take it out from the fridge for at least 30 minutes before roasting. Prepare the chicken for roasting by following the recipe instructions.
Vegetables - root vegetables are perfect for slow roasting, and they are even better when baked with those delicious roasting juices. In this recipe, we used root celery, kohlrabi, and carrots.
How long to roast stuffed whole chicken (tips and tricks)
You can find our guide to roasting the perfect chicken here.
First roast the chicken in the oven for 10 minutes at 20 - 25 minutes at 220 °C / 430 °F, plus another 20 minutes for every 500g (1.1lbs) of the chicken. For example, our chicken has 1.5 kg, so we are going to cook it for 20 minutes x 3 = 60 minutes. The total roasting time is 1 hour and 20 minutes.
FORMULA
Weight of the chicken (1500g / 3.3 lbs) : (divided with) 500g / 1.1 lbs = 3 (cooking factor)
20 minutes (roast time) x 3 (cooking factor) + 20 minutes at the beginning = 100 minutes total roast time
Storing and freezing
There are two ways to store this delicious roast chicken.
Keep the chilled homemade Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before serving, reheat in the microwave oven or using a skillet.
Feel free to freeze the Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken too. Place it in a freezer-friendly container and place it in the freezer for up to a month. Before serving, defrost at room temperature (or in the fridge overnight), then reheat in the microwave oven or using a skillet.
How to make Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken at home (video)
Check this quick recipe for the Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken at home.
Next, try these recipes with whole chicken
- Perfect Crispy Roast Chicken
- Roast Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Pear
- Whole Roasted Chicken with Black Chai Glaze
- Roasted Half Chicken
METHOD
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bread
Take the chicken from the fridge. Cut the bread into small cubes and add into a large bowl. Place a pan over medium heat. Add the heavy cream, milk, pinch of salt, black pepper, and sage. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Discard the sage and pour the mixture over the bread. Set aside for 10 minutes.
TipUse stale bread, at least one day old. Optionally, substitute the heavy cream with milk. -
filling
Cut the pancetta into small cubes. Peel the onion and dice it. Place a pan over low heat. Add oil and butter. When the butter melts, add pancetta and onion. Sauté for 6 - 8 minutes, then add chopped parsley and minced garlic. Sauté for a minute, then add to a bread mixture. Stir and wait for the mixture to cool. Add the eggs and stir to combine when the mixture is at room temperature.
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stuff the chicken
Place a rack on the lowest rack in the oven and preheat it to 220 °C / 430 °F. Prepare the chicken before roasting. Remove the wishbone by sliding the skin that covers the neck cavity aside and using your thumbs to feel the inside of the cavity for the wishbone. Using a sharp knife, make a slice on one side of the cavity in the flesh covering the bone. Using your hand, remove the V-shaped bone. Without the wishbone, the breast can be sliced nicely, in even slices, without the knife constantly getting stuck. Lightly season the cavity of the chicken with salt and stuff with half of the prepared bread stuffing. Turn the chicken so the breast is down. Carefully separate the chicken's skin from the breast using your fingers or the back of the spoon. Push the rest of the stuffing between the breast meat and skin. Close the stuffing with toothpicks. Tie the chicken legs with a string. This will make the chicken more festive. Pat dry the chicken with a paper towel or a kitchen torch to make the skin crispier. Brush the whole chicken with butter, season it with salt and pepper, and transfer it to a large deep baking dish.
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first roast
Pour 100ml (1/2 cup) water into a deep baking dish and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 220 °C / 430 °F, then remove from the oven.
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vegetables
While the chicken is roasting, prepare the vegetables. Peel the vegetables and cut them into 2-cm or 1-inch slices. Take the roasted chicken from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 190 °C / 375 °F. Transfer the chicken to a plate, arrange the vegetables over the baking dish, then place the chicken back on the veggies. Return to the oven and bake for 20 minutes for each 500g (1.1 lbs); in our case, the chicken weighs 1.5 kg(3.3 lbs), so we need to bake for 1 hour. After about half an hour of roasting, check the chicken. Cover with aluminum foil if the breast is quickly browning to prevent the chicken's burning.
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serve
Transfer the Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken to a wire rack and cover it with aluminum foil. Set aside for 10 - 15 minutes for the cooking process to continiue. Season the root vegetables with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a serving platter. Place the roasted chicken on top and optionally decorate with halved oranges and pomegranate. Optionally garnish the chicken with fresh herbs like sage, rosemary, and thyme.
