Stuffed Chicken

Stuffed foods may owe their origin to Turkish or central Asian influences. Stuffed chicken is a main dish. Serve with mashed or sauteed potatoes

1 whole chicken, about 3 lb.

1⁄2 pound mushrooms, chopped

3 strips smoked fatty bacon, fried crisp and crumbled, fat reserved

2 slices dry bread

1⁄4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 cup parsley, minced

1 tsp marjoram

salt to taste

1⁄2 tsp white or black pepper

3 TBS lard, chicken fat, or cooking oil

• Loosen the area around the chicken’s breast and legs by gently pushing your fingers between the chicken skin and flesh at the openings at neck and bottom. Be careful not to tear the skin.
• Lightly salt the chicken cavity and under the skin.
• Saute´ mushrooms in bacon fat. Set aside.
• Soak bread in milk, tear up into small pieces, and add to mushrooms, bacon, egg, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper to make the stuffing. Blend well.
• Spread some stuffing evenly under the chicken skin in the area around the breast and legs. Shape the stuffed areas so that the chicken is nicely rounded.
• Put the remaining stuffing in the chicken cavity. Heat lard, chicken fat, or oil until hot in a roasting pan, and carefully (so as not to be splashed by the hot fat) brown chicken all over.
• Place chicken, breast side down, on a rack in the pan.
• Place in a preheated 3508F oven for about 1 hour, basting frequently with the drippings.
• Turn the chicken over when browned, after about 30 minutes.
• After an hour, check the chicken. To tell if chicken is done: the leg joint should move freely, and juices run clear (not bloody) when a knife is stuck in.
• If chicken is getting too brown before it is done, cover loosely with foil.
• If necessary, bake another 8–10 minutes.
• Let chicken rest for 15–20 minutes to settle the stuffing before carving.