Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 5.5 pound whole roasting chicken ((no neck or giblets-save that for making stock or gravy))
  • 1/2 cup soft butter
  • 2 cups diced celery with tips and leaves
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons dried sage
  • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 6 cups dried bread cubes
  • 1-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Instruction

  • Preheat oven to 375F.
  • Work half the butter for the chicken under the skin, loosening it with your fingers. Spread the rest on the outside skin, also seasoning the bird with salt and pepper.
  • Saute the celery onion and garlic in butter until the onion softens.
  • Place in a mixing bowl with the seasonings and stuffing croutons, tossing to mix.
  • Continue to stir and mix as you gradually add enough of the broth to moisten the stuffing, but not leave it soggy.
  • Place half of the stuffing mixture into both chicken cavities, packing it lightly as it will expand when cooking. You can put the rest in a small casserole as extra.
  • Bake chicken 1-1/4-1-1/2 hours or until chicken temp is 165F.
  • Remove stuffing and return to oven for 10-15 minutes to raise stuffing temp to safe levels.
  • Tent chicken and rest while baking stuffing.