Herbed Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Stuffing and Seasonal Vegetables
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
Units Scale
- 1 4-5 lb Roasting chicken
- 1/2 –1 tsp Celtic sea salt
- Fresh ground pepper to taste
- Herb pesto rub
- Wild Rice pilaf, cooked
- Tin foil
- 1 bunch baby carrots scrubbed and rough-cut diagonally (no need to peel)
- 2 summer squashes washed and rough-cut diagonally
- 4–6 halved baby red onions or shallots. They truly will taste like candy when roasted!
Fresh Herb Rub (like pesto)
- 1 cup parsley tops
- 1/2 cup fresh green onion chives
- 2 Tbl. fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 Tbl. fresh thyme leaves
- 2–3 whole garlic cloves or 1 medium shallot
- 1/4– 1/3 cup Olive oil
Wild Rice Stuffing
- Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 C diced mushrooms (optional)
- 1/2 Stick unsalted butter (4 Tbl)
- 1/2 C wild rice rinsed
- 1/2 C short grain sprouted brown or red rice rinsed
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 Tbl.lemon juice (optional)
- 1 tsp minced fresh rosemary OR thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
- 1/2 cup minced parsley leaves
- 1/4–1/2 C toasted pine nuts
- 1/4 C Zante currents or raisin
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender puree: parsley, chives, rosemary, garlic and thyme. Add enough olive oil to make a thick paste. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450 º Place oven rack in middle of oven.
- Wash chicken with kosher or coarse salt. Pat dry inside and out.
- Season chicken with Celtic Sea salt inside and out. Set in 9 x 13 glass, ceramic or other baking/roasting pan.
- Sprinkle around cut vegetables: carrots, zucchini, and baby onions. Set aside. Make sure pan is large enough to hold all the veggies. When the vegetables are cooked with the chicken, they soak up the delicious flavors from the chicken drippings and the herbed rub. (Not shown in picture)
- Using your hands, carefully separate the skin from the meat, and spread small amounts of herb rub between skin and breast and wherever else you can separate the skin. Smooth skin back and rub chicken with remaining herbed rub.
- Stuff chicken cavity with wild rice mixture. Use toothpicks, bamboo skewers, or turkey trusses’ to secure close. It’s also OK to leave open while roasting.
- Place chicken breast side down in roasting pan.
- Roast for 15 minutes, then turn oven down to 325º and continue roasting for 1 hour.
- Chicken should be nicely browned and juices run clear when poked.
- NOTE: Half way through cooking, turn chicken breast side up to brown, IF YOU want. Baste with pan juices or leftover herb rub.
- Once done, remove from oven and let chicken sit for 10-15 minutes covered before carving. This will seal in the juices and make for a moist and tender bird.
- Remove to platter, and spread vegetables around. Keep warm until serving.
Wild Rice Stuffing
- In a large skillet sauté celery, onion, (mushrooms if using), parsley salt and butter.
- Cover and cook until onions are translucent and mushrooms are soft.
- Meanwhile, rinse wild and brown rice. Let drain.
- Add wild and brown rice to skillet.
- Add lemon juice and minced rosemary. Stir well with rice.
- Add chicken or vegetable broth
- Bring liquid to a boil, then cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 30-40 minutes. Turn off and let sit for 10 minutes before taking the lid off.
- Just before stuffing, stir in minced parsley, toasted pine nuts & currents. Blend well.
- Variations: May add water chestnuts, toasted walnut or pecan pieces, diced apple, halved grapes, cranberries 1-2 tsp. freshly grated lemon or orange peel.
Notes
- Do not feel you need to overcook your chicken; it makes for a dry bird. It will continue to cook as it sits prior to carving. 15 minutes per lb is plenty.
- If chicken is starting to get too brown, use tin foil to cover for remaining cooking time.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
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