Name: Roasted Turkey/Chicken & Stuffing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 4 pieces whole leg chicken/turkey (or breast); ¼ teaspoon salt; 1-2 dashes pepper; 1-2 tablespoons olive oil; ⅓ cup butter (soft) ((72 grams)); 1 celery stalk chopped; ½ large onion (chopped); 5½ cups chopped day old bread (stuffing bread) ((195 grams)); 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning; ¼-½ teaspoon salt; 1-2 dash pepper; 1½-2 cups vegetable or chicken broth (homemade or store bought) ((381 - 508 grams))

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This Roasted Turkey or Chicken is the perfect alternative to a whole Turkey, whether you use A Turkey Breast, whole legs or even Chicken it comes out just as good as a whole stuffed Turkey or even better. Perfect for a small gathering!

2 whole chicken legs with stuffing in a white pan

I have had this recipe on the blog for 5 years and this year I thought now this is the perfect recipe for 2020. Small gatherings are a must this year, so here I am making Christmas dinner for 2 or 4. And since I love the traditional Turkey dinner with all the trimmings, I knew I needed to make it more appropriate for just us. So here we have Roasted Turkey Pieces with stuffing. To tell the truth this time I substituted with chicken and it was delicious. I might never go back to a whole bird.

How to make it

First start by making the stuffing

In a medium pan add the butter, chopped celery and onion cook for about 3-5 minutes or until translucent.

chopping the onions & celery and sauteeing in a pan

In a large bowl add the sliced cubed bread, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and onion mixture, stir to combine, start by adding some of the broth and combine, the mixture should be damp but not wet, if it is too dry add a little more broth.

To stuff the poultry pieces either slice a piece including the meat or gently lift the skin, place a couple of heaping spoonfuls (or more) of stuffing in the middle of the sliced meat or under the skin. Secure with a tooth pick or two.

Place the remaining stuffing (about 2/3) in the bottom of the baking dish, and place the turkey pieces on top. Brush the meat with olive oil, cover with foil and bake in the pre-heated oven.

placing the stuffing and chicken in the pan before baking

How to make poultry seasoning

I make my own poultry seasoning since it isn’t sold here, just mix together 1 teaspoon dried sage, 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and a 1/4 teaspoon pepper. I coarsely ground the spices together, and it worked perfectly.

How to make homemade broth

For this recipe I used a vegetable broth, but if you prefer to use a chicken or turkey broth then just add a piece of meat to the pot. Of course if you prefer you can use store bought. In a large pot add a halved carrot, a halved onion, a celery stalk cut in two, a bay leaf, 2-3 pepper corns, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and 12 cups of water. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about three hours. Stir occasionally and remove any foam that appears on the top of the broth. Pour the broth through a sieve, and let the liquid cool before using.

Any unused broth can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen in freezer safe containers and will keep for up to 6 months.

What are the best pieces to use?

In order to stuff it you are going to have to use pretty big pieces, that’s why I like to use the whole leg which consists of the drumstick and thigh, you could also use a chicken or turkey breast. Make sure to leave the skin, it is probably the best way to stuff the pieces and it keeps the meat moist while cooking.

How to know when poultry is cooked

This stuffed poultry is best cooked covered at a temperature of 375F – 400F (190C – 200C), for about 45-60 minutes, of course it depends on the size of the pieces you use. Chicken or Turkey is done when the internal temperature reaches 165-170F using a meat thermometer.

How to store leftover stuffed chicken or turkey

Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate. Re-heat in a microwave or oven covered. It will keep for up to 2-3 days in the fridge.

More Main Dish Recipes

I think a lot of us would agree on one thing, that probably the best part of the whole Turkey thing is really, in fact, the stuffing. So I decided to use my mother’s delicious stuffing recipe and substitute chicken instead. Worked perfectly. So if you are like me and get a mad desire for a festive dish but without the big bird this could be a perfect solution. Buon Appetito!