Home / Recipes / Most Posts / Roasted Turkey/Chicken & Stuffing

Roasted Turkey/Chicken & Stuffing

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 1 1/2 cups of broth and combine, the mixture should be damp but not wet, if it is too dry add a little more broth.

adding the broth and stuffing

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.

cutting the chicken and stuffing

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.

homemade poultry seasoning

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.

chicken and stuffing in a white pan

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!

2 whole chicken legs with stuffing in a white dish

An Italian in my Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

2 whole chicken legs with stuffing in a white pan

Roasted Turkey/Chicken & Stuffing

Rosemary Molloy
Baked Chicken Pieces and Stuffing, a delicious alternative to stuffed turkey, just as delicious. A family comfort food dinner recipe.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 1085 kcal

Ingredients
  

FOR THE CHICKEN

  • 4 pieces whole leg chicken/turkey (or breast)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 dashes pepper
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

FOR THE STUFFING

  • â…“ 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)

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat oven to 375F-400F (190C-200C). Lightly oil a baking dish approximately 11 x 7 ½ inches (28 x 19 cm).

FOR THE STUFFING

  • In a medium pan add the butter, chopped celery and onion sautee for about 3-5 minutes or until translucent. 
  • In a large bowl add the sliced cubed bread, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, onion mixture stir to combine, start by adding 1½ cups of 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 (see the photos) 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 â…”) on the bottom of the Baking Dish, and place the turkey pieces on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush the meat with olive oil, cover with foil or a brown paper bag (lightly brush with olive oil) and bake for approximately 45-60 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165-170F (73-76C).

Notes

If you find there is extra liquid on the bottom of the pan, just drain it out and place back in the oven for approximately 3-5 minutes uncovered. 
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 1085kcal | Carbohydrates: 158g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0.5mg | Sodium: 2044mg | Potassium: 607mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 745IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 432mg | Iron: 12mg
Did You Make This Recipe?Please leave a comment below or pin it to your Pinterest account!

Updated from November 23, 2015.

15 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made the stuffed Turkey Legs with Stuffing last night. I’m alone, so it is much more convenient for me to make just the Turkey legs. It was absolutely delicious ! I’m having some leftover tonight.

  2. These are our favorite chicken parts. We love dark meat since it’s always juicy & delicious. I sprinkle chicken or turkey with salt, pepper, & a tiny bit of garlic powder after I brush it with olive oil. Also, I like to add about one grated carrot to my stuffing, and even some torn celery leaves for a lot of flavor & aroma. I wish I could find nice plump chicken such as yours in my store. Thank you, Rosemary. 🙂

    1. Hi Mary, no the brown bag is as is, you could actually brush it with a little olive oil if you wish. Hope that helps.

  3. 5 stars
    Thanks for the great recipe – would never have thought to stuff chicken pieces. Made it with mashed potatoes and gravy – the family loved this!

  4. I don’t care for turkey either. I do, however, eat chicken all the time. I never thought about covering it with a brown bag. I have to try this the next time I bake it. Thanks for sharing.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.