Cooking a stuffed whole chicken can seem intimidating, but it’s actually quite simple if you follow a few tips. With the right techniques, you’ll have a beautiful, juicy chicken with flavorful stuffing every time. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from prep work to cooking times.
Choosing and Preparing the Chicken
First, let’s choose the right chicken. Choose a fresh, whole chicken that weighs between 4 and 6 pounds. Make sure to take the giblets out of the chicken’s body, rinse it under cool water, and pat it dry.
Next prepare your stuffing. Bread cubes, diced celery, onions, chicken broth, sage, thyme, and seasoning are what I like to use for a classic taste. You can be creative and add anything you like, like sausage, diced apples, or cranberries.
Once your stuffing is ready, loosely fill the chicken cavity without packing it too tight. Truss the legs together with kitchen string to secure the stuffing. Rub the outside of the chicken with olive oil or butter and generously season with salt and pepper.
Determining Cook Time
So how long should you cook a whole chicken that’s been stuffed? Here are some rough times:
- 4 pound chicken: Bake at 350°F for approximately 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours
- 5 pound chicken: Bake at 350°F for approximately 2 – 2 1⁄2 hours
- 6 pound chicken: Bake at 350°F for approximately 2 1⁄2 – 3 hours
The total cook time can vary based on the size of your chicken, oven temperature, and stuffing ingredients. The most reliable way to test doneness is by using a meat thermometer.
Avoid bone as you put the thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It should register 165°F when fully cooked. If it’s not done yet, keep baking and check the temperature every 10 to 15 minutes until it reaches 165°F.
Cooking Methods
You have options when it comes to cooking your stuffed whole chicken. The oven is most common, but here are two other great methods:
Oven Roasting: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chicken breast-side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Baste with pan drippings every 30 minutes for even browning and moisture. Roast until 165°F.
Slow Cooker: Place seasoned chicken in a slow cooker and add 1⁄2 cup broth. Cook on low for 7-8 hours until 165°F. The stuffing cooks right inside the bird.
Grilling: Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect cooking. Place chicken over indirect heat and grill with the lid closed. Rotate occasionally and grill until 165°F, about 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours.
Monitoring Doneness
Always verify doneness by taking the internal temperature in multiple places. Insert thermometer into the thickest part of breast, thigh, and stuffing to ensure they all reach 165°F.
The juices should run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. If they are pink, continue cooking until clear. The skin will be beautifully browned and the meat should look opaque throughout when fully cooked.
If the skin starts to brown too quickly, tent foil loosely over the chicken to slow cooking. Remove foil for the last 15 minutes to crisp the skin.
Letting Your Chicken Rest
Once your stuffed chicken reaches the proper internal temperature, remove it from the oven or grill and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.
This rest time allows the juices to redistribute so they don’t run out when you cut into it. Cover loosely with foil as it rests to keep warm. The internal temperature will rise about 5-10°F during this time – that’s perfectly normal.
Serving Suggestions
Your tender, juicy stuffed chicken makes a spectacular centerpiece to any meal. Pair it with savory sides like roasted potatoes, rice pilaf, or warm rolls. Round out the meal with roasted vegetables or a fresh salad.
For easy carving, remove any trussing and cutting board. Cut straight down along both sides of the breastbone to remove halves. Then slice between leg and thigh to separate. Arrange slices on a platter and spoon stuffing alongside.
Stuffed whole chicken also shines in soups, sandwiches, wraps, and salads over the next few days. Simply shred or dice the leftover meat and get creative!
Key Takeaways
- Allow 1 1⁄2 – 2 hours cook time per pound at 350°F
- Always verify doneness by taking internal temperature
- Let chicken rest 15-20 minutes before carving
- Pair with hearty sides like roasted veggies or potatoes
With this guide, you can masterfully cook a whole stuffed chicken for any occasion. Just follow the tips above for tender, juicy meat with perfectly cooked stuffing every time. Now go enjoy this satisfying, flavorful meal with family and friends!
Chicken Stuffed with a Mixture of Bread Cubes, Pear, Sage, Bacon, Onion, and Almond
- Purchase a chicken. When people ask me what the best chicken is, I always tell them to buy the best chicken they can find. For me, it’s free-range and organic. Having grown my own chicken as a child, I learned to enjoy the good stuff. When you get your chicken home, wash it and look inside to see if there are any surprises. Use paper towels to dry it, and soap and water to clean the sink.
- Stuff and season the chicken. On the right is a recipe for stuffing that I wrote for this writing. I love stuffing of all kinds. I wrote this recipe down on the way to my grandmother’s house. It was the best stuffing I’ve ever made. Before you stuff the chicken, season it with salt, pepper, and herbs. Use a large spoon to fill the cavity with stuffing. If you tie the legs together, they won’t open up while you cook.
- Bacon will help keep the breast meat from drying out. Put the rack in the lower middle of the oven and heat it up to 450 degrees F. The breast meat needs to be kept safe because this chicken will be cooked for twice as long as a bird that isn’t stuffed. Putting bacon on top of the breasts will keep them from cooking too long. This method of cooking is very common in France and is called “barding.” It works really well.
- Prepare to roast the stuffed chicken. Cover the chicken from the beginning to the end of the roasting process to keep it from drying out. A pan with a lid is better than aluminum foil, which I used. Putting the lid on the pan will also make a lot more steam, which will help the chicken cook faster. To check the temperature while it’s cooking, put a thermometer through the foil and into the middle of the stuffing.
- Roast the stuffed chicken. Check the chicken after an hour. At 450 degrees, it took more than two hours to roast my four-pound chicken. But 155 degrees is really the point at which the stuffing is done. For the last 20 minutes of cooking, leave the lid off if you want the outside to get crispy. Twenty minutes should pass between eating the stuffed chicken and taking a bite.
- Buy a nice-looking, good-smelling chicken.
- Use homemade stuffing; the boxed stuffing pales in comparison. Not only that, but stuffing is really simple to make. Making your own chicken stock and bread helped the recipe I wrote for this article.
- Another way to make your stuffed chicken taste better is to brine it first. Here’s how to make chicken brine.
- Use good bacon; it makes the chicken taste better and keeps it from drying out.
- Putting your chicken under the broiler for a few minutes will make the skin crisp. Keep an eye on it.
- There is a mix of fat and juice in the bottom of the pan. It probably goes well with the chicken.
Simple Roast Chicken and Stuffing
FAQ
How long does a stuffed chicken take to cook?
The cooking time for a stuffed whole chicken depends on its size and the oven temperature. As a general rule, you can estimate that the chicken will take about 20 minutes per pound (450 grams) to cook at 350°F (175°C). However, it’s always best to rely on an instant-read thermometer to determine when the chicken is fully cooked.
What temperature should stuffed chicken be cooked at?
Only the minority of street food vendors correctly indicated 78 °C (25. 1 %) and 57 °C (33. 8 %) as the correct minimum internal cooking temperature for stuffed chicken and vegetables/fruits, respectively.
How long should stuffed chicken rest before cooking?
For a stuffed chicken breast, let it rest for half the cooking time before cooking. It’s best to let your meat rest for half as long as it was cooked. Let your stuffed chicken breast rest for 10 minutes before you cook it for 20 minutes. This isn’t just for chicken! You should let any thick cut of meat rest—especially beef and pork.
How long do you cook a stuffed roast chicken?
Brush the chicken with the oil. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, not touching the bone. Roast at 325°F for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the drumstick moves easily and the stuffing reaches 165°F in the middle. Use the pan juices to baste the turkey every so often.
How long does it take at 350 to cook a whole chicken?
At 350 degrees you should count on 20-25 minutes per pound for a 3 to 8 pound chicken. As with all meats, check the temperature 15-20 minutes before the time it should be done. You never know how accurate your oven is, and you don’t want to overcook and dry out the chicken.Oct 1, 2021
Does chicken take longer to cook if stuffed?
Cooking a stuffed chicken requires a longer cooking time than an unstuffed one. This is because the stuffing inside the chicken needs to reach a safe temperature of 165°F (74°C). As a general rule, add an extra 15 to 30 minutes to the total cooking time for a stuffed chicken.
What is the cooking temperature for stuffed poultry?
Bake uncovered at 375 F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until internal temperature is greater than 165 F. The pork stuffed chicken cooks for 1 hour covered and 1 hour uncovered at 375 F.