The stuffed chicken It is a delicious and sophisticated option for those who want to impress when preparing a special meal. Ideal for Sunday lunches, end-of-year parties or any occasion that deserves a dish full of flavor, stuffed chicken combines the succulence of the meat with the tasty filling, creating a complete meal that will please everyone at the table. Check out this recipe for stuffed chicken that mixes simple and fresh ingredients for a surprising result. Get ready to delight your guests with an aromatic and flavorful dish!
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 whole chicken (approximately 1.5 to 2 kg)
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
For the filling:
- 300g ground meat (can be chicken, pork or beef)
- 1 grated carrot
- 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped green or black olives
- 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped cashews or walnuts (optional)
- 1/2 cup cooked rice or farofa
- 1 chopped boiled egg (optional)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley and chives
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Preparation:
Preparing the Chicken
- Season the chicken: In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, onion, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, butter or olive oil, and fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves, if using). Rub the mixture all over the chicken, inside and out, to ensure that it is well seasoned. If possible, marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator, so that the flavors can penetrate the meat.
Preparing the Filling
- Sauté the filling ingredients: In a frying pan, heat a dash of olive oil or a tablespoon of butter and sauté the ground beef until it is golden brown. Add the grated carrot, chopped mushrooms (if using) and olives, and continue sautéing for another 3-4 minutes. Mix well so that the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add the other ingredients: Remove the mixture from the heat and add the cooked rice or farofa, grated mozzarella cheese, chopped chestnuts or walnuts (if desired) and chopped boiled egg. Mix well and adjust the salt and black pepper to taste. Finally, add the chopped chives to give freshness to the filling.
Stuffing the Chicken
- Stuff the chicken: With the chicken seasoned, carefully place the stuffing inside the cavity of the chicken. Do not overfill to prevent the stuffing from overflowing during cooking. Once stuffed, close the cavity of the chicken with wooden toothpicks or tie the legs with cooking twine. Make sure the chicken is tightly closed so that the stuffing does not come out during cooking.
Roasting the Chicken
- Roast the chicken: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the chicken in a baking dish greased with a little olive oil or butter. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and roast for about 1 hour. Remove the foil for the last 30 minutes to brown the chicken skin. During the process, baste the chicken with its own juices to ensure it is nice and juicy.
- Check the point: To check if the chicken is cooked through, make a cut in the thickest part of the meat, near the thigh, and see if the juices run clear. If necessary, roast for another 20-30 minutes, always basting the meat with the juices from the pan.
Finalizing
- Rest the meat: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes before carving. This helps redistribute the juices, making the meat juicier.
- Serve: Serve the stuffed chicken on a platter, sliced, and with the stuffing visible, so that guests can admire the presentation of the dish. Serve with rice, salad or baked potatoes.
Additional Tips
- Varied filling: The filling can be adjusted to your taste. You can add vegetables like pumpkin or zucchini, or even opt for a cheese and ham filling.
- Boneless chicken: If you prefer a more practical chicken to serve, you can ask for the whole chicken to be deboned and stuffed in the same way, creating a stuffed chicken “roll”. This method makes it easier to cut and portion the dish.
- Accompanying sauce: To complement the dish, you can prepare a simple herb sauce with white wine or a honey mustard sauce, which combines perfectly with the flavor of the chicken.
