Here’s a classic Stuffed Roast Chicken—juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and perfect for a family meal 🍗🍞
🍗 Stuffed Roast Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 whole chicken (4–5 lbs)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened or olive oil
- 1 lemon, halved (optional)
- Fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, or parsley – optional)
Stuffing
- 3 cups bread cubes (day-old bread works best)
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- ½–¾ cup chicken broth
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare stuffing
- Melt butter in a skillet.
- Sauté onion and celery until soft.
- Add bread cubes, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper.
- Stir in chicken broth just until moist. Remove from heat.
- Prepare chicken
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- Season inside and out with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Rub butter or oil all over the skin.
- Stuff chicken
- Lightly fill the cavity with stuffing (do not pack tightly).
- Add lemon halves and herbs if using.
- Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
- Roast
- Place chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan.
- Roast 1 hour 20–30 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Rest
- Let chicken rest 10–15 minutes before carving.
🌟 Tips & Variations
- Add apples, sausage, or cranberries to the stuffing
- Baste once halfway through for extra golden skin
- If skin browns too fast, loosely tent with foil
- Save pan drippings for simple gravy
If you want, I can also share a herb-butter version, lemon-garlic roast, or a sheet-pan meal with veggies 😊
