Roasted Stuffed Whole Chicken Recipe (2024)

Stuffed whole chicken with crispy skin and moist, tender meat served with a delicious gravy made with pan drippings. This recipe is the perfect solution for a festive dinner for a smaller gathering.

This roasted stuffed whole chicken recipe is an excellent alternative to a large roasted turkey for the holiday season. Perfect for a smaller family, easy to make, and economical, this dish will leave you completely satisfied.

A whole stuffed chicken recipe might sound intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but it’s actually very easy. Learn How to Roast a Whole Chicken; the post includes temperature and roasting time instructions based on the weight of a chicken, thus making the whole process even easier.

Stuff chicken with breadcrumbs, apples, and herbs for even more flavor, and serve it with that excellent gravy that’s ready in about five minutes.

Recipe ingredients

• Whole chicken: The bird I had weighed 7.7 oz/ 3.5 kg. But the best thing about this roasted whole stuffed chicken recipe is that you can use the bird you have and calculate the roasting time accordingly.
• Butter: Salted or unsalted butter; adjust the salt you use accordingly; take a bit less if using salted butter.

Ingredients for the stuffing:

• Fresh white breadcrumbs. I always buy white bread, preferably but not mandatory, 1-2 days before cooking, remove its crust and process the bread pieces shortly in the food processor.
• One egg.
• One small apple and one small lemon.
• Spices: Dried thyme, rosemary, parsley, sweet paprika powder, fine sea salt or Kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Alternatively, other dried, frozen, or fresh favorite herbs can be used.

Ingredients for the gravy: Pan drippings, low-sodium chicken stock, white wine, and all-purpose flour.

How to cook a whole stuffed chicken?

• Salt the inside and the outside of the chicken and refrigerate it overnight. Ensure that you rub it well with salt and pepper, inside and outside, and under the wings (See Expert Tips).
• Remove it from the fridge one hour before cooking to allow it to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven.
• Roast chicken stuffing: Mix all the ingredients (1).

• Dry the skin with paper towels. Insert the stuffing mix into the cavity and tie the legs with kitchen twine. Weigh it once it’s stuffed to calculate the roasting time. Place it breast-side up into a roasting tin (2).
• Melt 2 ½ tablespoons of the butter and add the salt and pepper. Brush the bird with the mixture (3).
• Add water and the squeezed lemon juice to the baking pan.
• Roast the stuffed bird at a high temperature for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the temperature and roast for the calculated time, basting every 15-20 minutes with the pan juices (4).
• Let the chicken rest on a platter, loosely covered with foil.

• Make the gravy: Remove the excess fat from the tin. Scrape the bottom of the pan and pour the juices and any brown bits into a small saucepan. Add stock and wine and whisk in the flour. Simmer on medium heat until slightly thickened and lump-free.

How long does it take to roast a stuffed whole chicken?

The recipe instructs you to roast the stuffed bird at a high oven temperature of 430°F/ 220°C (fan-assisted oven 390°F/200°C), then lower the temperature to 360°F/ 180°C (fan 320°F/ 160°C) and continue cooking the stuffed chicken according to the time you’ve calculated considering the weight of the bird and its stuffing.

That is 20 minutes for 500 g/ 1.1 lb + an extra 15 minutes.

However! When it comes to chicken, giving the exact cooking time is a very tricky task. The cooking time depends not only on the size of the bird but also on your oven. Your oven might run hotter or colder, and you might not even know it because you are used to it.

You could check how your oven runs with a special thermometer, but still, the safest way to check if the meat is cooked through is to use an instant-read thermometer (Amazon affiliate link).

A thermometer will ensure that the meat you consume is safe to eat and that you don’t overcook it out of fear it might not be done yet.

Expert Tips

• Salting the chicken and leaving it in the fridge overnight is not mandatory, but it’s a great thing to do. The salt will flavor the meat more deeply, imparting the skin and the meat more flavor.

• Checking for doneness: Always ensure that poultry is cooked through before serving. The best way to check is with a digital meat thermometer; the internal temperature should be 165°F/ 74°C. Pierce the stuffed whole chicken into the thickest part of the thigh and check the internal temperature of the stuffing (it should be the same as the meat).

• Carve: Place a large cutting board on paper towels that will stabilize the board and catch any running juices, thus making cleaning easier.
  • Legs:Cut the thighs at the joint with a large sharp knife. Separate them from the drumsticks by cutting at the joint between them.
  • Breast:Carve down the bone of each breast and remove them from the bones.
  • Wings:Separate the wings from the rest of the carcass by cutting at the joint.
  • Rests:Pick any larger meat pieces still hanging on the bones.

Recipe FAQ

How to serve stuffed chicken?

• Serve the roasted stuffed whole chicken with any Thanksgiving or Christmas side dishes you would usually serve on such occasions. Try our Canned Cranberry Sauce, make a Dairy-Free Green Bean Casserole, or Rich Truffle Mashed Potatoes.

• Starchy side dish ideas:Garlic Parmesan Mashed Potatoes,Smashed Potatoes,Buttered Rice with Garlic,Sweet Potatoes Dauphinoise, Baked Sweet Potato Slices, etc.

• Vegetable side dish ideas: Roasted Leeks, The Best Caramelized Brussels Sprouts,Whole Baked Cauliflower,Roasted Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts, etc.

• To make asimple dinner, serve withoven-roasted potato wedgesand green salad with vinaigrette,Yogurt Dressing, orRaspberry Vinaigrette.

What to do with leftovers?

• Check out ourFavorite Leftover Turkey Recipes. You can make any of these recipes with chicken instead of turkey.
• Try these fantastic Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, make a Romanian Boeuf Salad, make salads or dips, or add the shredded meat to soups, chilies, stews, etc.
• Use the bones and the carcass to make stock.

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