365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (27 page)

2.
Remove chicken to a carving board. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pan. Add flour to drippings and cook over medium heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in broth, lemon juice, and remaining ½ teaspoon oregano. Bring to a boil, stirring, until gravy is thickened and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3.
Carve chicken, discarding lemons and grape leaves, and serve with gravy.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 2½ hours Serves: 6

• 3 large russet potatoes (about 1¼ pounds), peeled and cut into chunks
  

• ⅓ cup milk
  

• ½ pound bulk sage-seasoned breakfast sausage meat
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (from about 3 slices of bread)
  

• 1 teaspoon dried leaf sage
  

• ¾ teaspoon salt
  

• 3/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 roasting chicken (5 to 6 pounds)
  

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  

• 2 tablespoons flour
  

• 2 cups chicken broth
  

1.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash, using a potato masher or electric mixer. Mix in milk until smooth. Measure and reserve 2 cups mashed potatoes; save any extra for another use.

2. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large frying pan, cook sausage and onion over medium heat, stirring often, until sausage is browned and onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, sage, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

3.
Fill chicken cavity with stuffing. Rub skin with butter; season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and tie legs together with kitchen string. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes, reduce oven heat to 350°, and continue to roast until an instant-reading thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°, about 1½ hours longer.

4.
Remove chicken to a carving board. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings. Add flour to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil, stirring, until gravy is thickened and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Spoon stuffing into a serving bowl. Carve chicken and serve with gravy and stuffing.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 1 hour 35 to 40 minutes Serves: 4

Clay cooking pots are relatively inexpensive and they produce an incomparably delicious, moist, and juicy roasted chicken. Follow the directions that come with the pot, especially the soaking method.

• 1 whole frying chicken (about 3½ pounds)
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 4 fresh thyme sprigs plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  

• ¼ cup parsley sprigs
  

• 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
  

• 12 small spring onions, trimmed, or peeled pearl onions
  

• 12 baby carrots
  

• 16 tiny red potatoes (about 1 inch in diameter) or 8 larger ones, halved
  

1.
Soak a 2-quart clay roaster and its lid in cold water to cover 15 minutes. Meanwhile, season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Fill chicken cavity with thyme and parsley sprigs and 2pieces of garlic. Place chicken in pot, breast side up. Tuck vegetables around chicken and sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper, then with chopped thyme.

2.
Cover roaster with lid and set in center of a cold oven. Turn heat to 450°F. and roast, without opening pot, 1½ hours. Uncover and roast 5 to 10 minutes longer to crisp skin.

Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 2 hours 38 to 40 minutes Serves: 6 to 8

You can make your own corn bread or buy it at a bakery. You can even use leftover corn muffins for the stuffing. Crumble and spread the corn bread onto a tray and let it dry out for 24 hours before using.

• 3 tablespoons butter
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 1 medium celery rib, chopped
  

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped kale, thawed and well drained
  

• 4 cups crumbled day-old corn bread
  

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 large roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
  

• 2 tablespoons flour
  

• 2 cups chicken broth
  

1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in kale, corn bread, poultry seasoning, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

2.
Fill chicken cavity with stuffing. Rub skin with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; season with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Tie chicken legs together with kitchen string. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast until an instant-reading thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°, about 2 hours longer.

3.
Remove chicken to a carving board. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pan. Add flour to pan and cook over medium heat, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and bring to a boil, whisking until gravy is thickened and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4.
Spoon stuffing into a serving bowl. Carve chicken and serve with stuffing and gravy.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 2 hours 49 minutes Serves: 6 to 8

Fried okra as a side dish and a pecan pie for dessert will turn this into a New Orleans-inspired feast.

• 3 tablespoons butter
  

• ½ cup chopped scallions
  

• ½ cup chopped celery
  

• ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
  

• ½ pound coarsely chopped chorizo or smoked kielbasa
  

• ½ teaspoon packaged Creole seasoning
  

• ½ teaspoon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
  

• 2½ cups cooked white rice
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 large roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds), giblets reserved
  

• 1 tablespoon flour
  

• 1 (14½-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
  

1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add scallions, celery, bell pepper, and sausage and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in Creole seasoning, Tabasco, rice, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

2.
Fill chicken cavity with rice stuffing. Rub skin with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; season with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow pan. Roast 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast until an instant-reading thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°, about 2 hours longer. Coarsely chop liver and add to roasting pan during last 45 minutes of cooking.

3.
While chicken is roasting, simmer giblets in water to cover for 25 minutes. Drain and reserve 1 cup of broth. When chicken is done, transfer to a carving board. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pan. Add flour to drippings and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Whisk in giblet broth and cook until bubbly and thickened, about 1 minute. Add stewed tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4.
Spoon stuffing into a serving bowl. Carve chicken and serve with stuffing and sauce.

Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 2 hours 41 to 45 minutes Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients from the famous New Orleans oyster dish make a fabulous and sophisticated stuffing for chicken.

• 8 slices of bacon
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 1 small fennel bulb, chopped
  

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  

• 1 (6½- to 8-ounce) can whole oysters or ½ pint shucked fresh oysters, drained and chopped, liquor reserved
  

• 3 cups torn French bread (about 8 ounces)
  

• 1 small celery rib with leaves, chopped
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 large roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
  

• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
  

• 2 tablespoons flour
  

• 2 cups chicken broth
  

• 2 tablespoons Pernod or other anise liqueur
  

1.
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large frying pan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels and crumble. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pan. Add onion, celery, and fennel. Cook, stirring, until just softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in spinach, drained oysters, and crumbled bacon. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add bread and toss to mix well. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. If stuffing seems too dry, add a little of reserved oyster liquor.

2.
Fill chicken cavity with stuffing. Rub skin with butter; season with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast until an instant-reading thermometer inserted into thigh registers 180°, about 2 hours longer.

3.
Remove chicken to a carving board. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings from pan. Add flour to remaining drippings and cook over medium heat, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and Pernod and cook, whisking, until gravy is thickened and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4.
Spoon stuffing into a serving bowl. Carve chicken and serve with stuffing and gravy.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 2 hours 37 to 40 minutes Serves: 6 to 8

If you can get whole wheat raisin and nut bread, all the better, though any raisin bread will work here.