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The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
1480 | Calories |
84g | Fat |
43g | Carbs |
130g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 4 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 1480 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 84g | 107% |
Saturated Fat 30g | 148% |
Cholesterol 483mg | 161% |
Sodium 873mg | 38% |
Total Carbohydrate 43g | 16% |
Dietary Fiber 3g | 11% |
Protein 130g | |
Calcium 244mg | 19% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
A well-seasoned stuffing and a simple pan gravy make our whole roasted chicken a great holiday meal or celebratory dinner. Coated with butter, stuffed with fresh veggies and herbs, and roasted to perfection, this chicken is ready in under two hours; serve with mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce for a spectacular yet simple feast.
Our stuffing is made out of breadcrumbs, but your favorite ingredients can go in there, too. Replace our suggested herbs with the ones you like the most, and use already-seasoned breadcrumbs if it's more convenient.
Use any leftovers of this lovely meal to make sandwiches, casseroles, soups, or salads.
Click Play to See This Whole Stuffed Chicken With Pan Gravy Recipe Come Together
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
- 1 (5-pound) whole chicken
- 2 tablespoon butter (cold, divided)
- Optional: fresh herbs (like thyme, rosemary, sage)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (to taste)
- For the Stuffing
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup onion (chopped)
- 1/2 cup celery (chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried leaf thyme (crumbled, or poultry seasoning to taste)
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes)
- 2 cups soft breadcrumbs
- 1/3Â cup milk
- Kosher salt (to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1Â egg (beaten)
- For the Pan Gravy
- Drippings from the chicken
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock
Steps to Make It
Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this roasted whole chicken dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and roasting.
Prep the Chicken
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Heat the oven to 375 F. Line a roasting pan with foil and set a rack in the pan.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Melt one tablespoon of the butter and cut the rest into small pieces.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Using your hands or a brush, rub the chicken with the melted butter.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Tuck the pieces of cold butter under the chicken's skin along with some fresh herbs, if desired.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Prep the Stuffing
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Melt a 1/4 cup of 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.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Add the dried thyme, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Add about 1/4 cup of milk and stir to blend. Taste and season the stuffing with salt and pepper.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Stir in the beaten egg and enough additional milk, one tablespoon at a time, to make a moist mixture. Remove from heat.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Loosely spoon the stuffing into the cavity of the chicken.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Close the cavity by sewing the loose skin together with twine or cover the cavity with a piece of foil or a slice of bread.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
Roast the Chicken
-
Place the chicken, breast-side up, on the rack in the roasting pan.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
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. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh, away from fat and bone, and in the center of the stuffing, must read the minimum safe temperature for consumption of 165 F.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Once cooked thoroughly, remove from oven and let chicken rest for about 15 minutes.
Make the Pan Gravy
-
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Pour the drippings into a fat separator, or pour them into a bowl and skim off the fat.Â
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Put three tablespoons of fat back in the roasting pan, reserving the remaining drippings for the next step. Add the flour and stir to make a roux. Cook, stirring, for two minutes.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Put the separated drippings in a 2-cup measure and add the chicken stock for a complete 2-cup mark.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Gradually stir the chicken stock and drippings into the roux mixture. Continue cooking until thickened, stirring constantly. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as desired.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck -
Carve the chicken and serve with cooked stuffing and pan gravy.
The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck
For a Beautiful Whole Chicken
For a memorable dinner, always keep in mind to:
- Never remove the stuffing from the chicken before it has reached a safe temperature of 165 F. The chicken must remain in the oven until the stuffing reaches that temperature even if the chicken itself has passed the 165 F reading. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the stuffing to ensure it has reached the safe temperature.
- Remove the stuffing to a serving bowl after the chicken has rested.
- Remove cooled leftovers to shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.Â
- Reheat leftovers to at least 165 F.