Part of my usual Sunday dinner, an adaptation to another recipe.
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt
- black pepper
- 4 slices wholemeal bread
- 1 onion medium, chopped
- 10 slices bacon half for stuffing, half for on chicken
- 1 lemon zest only
- 2 tbsp sage chopped
- 2 tbsp parsley chopped
- 1 chicken enough for 4, around 1.5kg
- 2 tbsp olive oil to rub into chicken skin
- kitchen string
- Carbohydrate 18.8831725 g
- Cholesterol 145.88 mg
- Fat 47.824025 g
- Fiber 4.2808249797821 g
- Protein 26.8705675 g
- Saturated Fat 14.615203 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (239g)
- Sodium 806.3205 mg
- Sugar 14.6023475202179 g
- Trans Fat 4.91409100000001 g
- Calories 609 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 220C/425F.
- Carefully grate the bread into a large bowl using hand grater, or in a food processor if you have one available, until you have medium/large breadcrumbs.
- Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in frying pan over a medium heat.
- Once warm add onion, cook until onion becomes slightly transparent, about 3 mins.
- Whilst onion fries, chop 5 slices of bacon into smaller pieces (each slice making around 6 pieces) then add to onion.
- Cook for another 3 minutes.
- Remove the onions and bacon from the heat and add to the breadcrumbs.
- Add zest, sage, parsley, a pinch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and the egg.
- Mix well until all ingredients are properly blended and you have a stiff mixture.
- Wash the chicken inside and out, dry with paper towel.
- Fill the cavity with your stuffing mixture.
- Truss the chstring with kitchen string.
- Rub lightly with 2 tbsp olive oil, then pinch of salf and pepper sprinkled over the top.
- Arrange remaining bacon on top of chicken.
- Place chicken in roasting pan and put in oven, cook for 15 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 180C/350F and cook for another hour.
- During the hour of cooking time you should baste the chicken every 15 minutes, a quick regular basting ensures the meat will be extra moist at the end.
- Check that juices run clear when skewed in the thickest part of the leg, if not cook for 10 minutes and repeat test.
- Once cooked, remove from oven and loosely cover with foil.
- Let chicken rest for 15 minutes before uncovering and carving.
Unlike a quick-roast chicken breast or a simple spatchcocked poultry preparation, a whole stuffed bird demands deliberate heat management because the interior cavity holds dense breadcrumbs and bacon. This thermal mass alters how heat penetrates the bird during the roasting process.
Choosing Side Dishes
Because the cavity contains a rich, bready stuffing seasoned with sage, parsley, and bacon, accompanying dishes should provide acidity or bitterness to cut through the fat. Roasted root vegetables tossed in a sharp vinaigrette or braised bitter greens like escarole and radicchio balance the savory weight of the meal. Avoid starches like mashed potatoes or rice, which duplicate the carbohydrates already present in the breadcrumb filling.
The Role of Basting
Success rests entirely on frequent basting. The skin is oiled and draped with bacon to protect the breast meat, but the rendered fats pooled in the roasting pan must be scooped and reapplied every 15 minutes during the lower-temperature phase. This constant surface hydration prevents the skin from scorching while the interior reaches the necessary 74 degrees Celsius internal temperature. Letting the bird rest uncovered for 15 minutes prior to carving allows the muscle fibers to relax and reabsorb moisture.
