Joyces Stuffed Chicken Food

EASY STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST RECIPE

Steps:

• Make the filling. In a mixing bowl combine the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, chopped walnuts (save ¼ cup walnuts for later), spinach, sundried tomatoes, parsley, garlic and oregano. Add a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil. Mix until well combined.
• Pat the chicken breast dry and season on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper.
• Now, you need to make a pocket in each chicken breast. Lay a chicken breast flat on a cutting board. Place a hand firmly on top of the breast. Insert a good chef's knife in the thickest part of the breast and cut through to make a pocket about 3 to 4 inches wide (only cut ¾ of the way in or you will split the chicken breast).
• Spoon the stuffing mixture into the pocket of each chicken breast (try to equally divide the stuffing among all four pieces).
• In a large cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the chicken in and cook on one side for 5 to 7 minutes, then turn over and cook on the other side for another 5 minutes or so (chicken's internal temperature should register 165 degrees F).
• Remove from heat and allow the chicken 3 to 5 minutes to rest. If you like, slice the chicken up into smaller pieces and garnish with the remaining walnuts, a bit of parsley and sundried tomatoes. Enjoy!

JOYCE'S STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pound chicken breasts flat to 1/4" thickness. Place in large baking dish. Add 1/2 cup italian dressing; turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, place radicchio and watercress; add remaining 1/2 cup italian dressing and toss to mix. Arrange radicchio and watercress on platter and refrigerate.
• Remove chicken from dressing and drain. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise. Place an even portion of basil and tomatoes on each of 4 halves of chicken; top each piece of chicken with remaining half of chicken. With textured side of meat mallet, pound edges together to seal.
• In shallow dish, beat water and egg. On wax paper, mix bread crumbs and cheese. Dip chicken in egg mixture and then in bread crumb mixture.
• In large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook about 10 minutes or until chicken is brown and fork can be inserted with ease.
• Arrange chicken on radicchio/watercress mixture.

SIMPLE/EASY STUFFED ROAST CHICKEN WITH GRAVY (FOR BEGINNERS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Empty contents of stuffing box, both the bread crumb and seasoning envelopes, into a medium bowl.
• Add hot water and butter; stir to mix.
• Add chopped water chestnuts, onion and poultry seasoning, mix thoroughly and set aside.
• Check inside the chicken for giblets, remove and set aside.
• Rinse chicken inside and out with cold running water.
• Dry thoroughly inside and out with paper towel.
• Sprinkle salt and fresh ground pepper inside the cavity and all over the outside.
• Place chicken in a roaster.
• Loosely pack the stuffing mix into the main cavity and any left into the neck cavity folding the skin over it.
• If necessary secure the neck skin with a pick.
• Take a length of kitchen string and tie the ends of the legs as close together as possible.
• Rub the butter all over the outside of the chicken making sure to cover the whole outside surface.
• Take two lengths of aluminum foil, place one piece over the chicken lengthwise, take the other piece and place it sideways over the first piece.
• Tuck the foil tightly to the chicken so it is touching the bottom of the roaster but not under the bird.
• If the bird is not completely covered (except for the underside) Use a third piece to finish covering.
• Place the roaster on the middle rack of the oven and roast at 400f degrees for 15 minutes.
• Reduce the heat after 15 minutes to 350f degrees and roast for approximately 2 hours.
• At about 2 hours, carefully lift the aluminum foil and poke the chicken with a fork, if the juice runs clear, remove the foil and roast a further 30 minutes to brown the skin to golden.
• If the juice is not yet clear, roast a little longer and check again.
• Once the chicken is well browned, remove to platter, cover with foil and let rest.
• In the meantime, if you wish to make giblet gravy, take the giblets (and neck if it's there), place in a saucepan, cover with water, add salt and pepper and a little poultry seasoning if you wish, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for at least an hour.
• Remove to strainer, reserving liquid.
• Chop the giblets and pick any meat off neck bones, add to a blender and add the liquid.
• Blend to liquefy level, add 3 or 4 tablespoons flour or corn starch and blend to mix well.
• Pour off as much fat as possible from the roaster, take a whisk and move up any bits and pieces of stuffing/chicken stuck to the bottom, remove any large pieces of skin, add the giblet mix from the blender, whisk around; place in 450°F to 500°F degree oven until bubbly, about 10 minutes; add a small amount of hot water if necessary if it is too thick until it is the consistancy you want, cook another 5 minutes.
• (We like ours very thick) Whisk and pour into gravy boat and serve hot with the roast chicken.
• Gravy can also be made without the giblets, just whisk up the brown bits in the roaster and add 1 cup of hot water and make a slurry of cold water and either flour or corn starch, add the slurry and whisk, cook the same as above adding a little more water if necessary.