Roasted Chicken Breasts With Fennel Sausage And Focaccia Stuffing Recipes

SAUSAGE-STUFFED ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST AND SIDE DISHES

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees
• To prepare chicken: If frozen, thaw the chicken breasts, rinse, pat dry and set aside. Using a large flat plate prepare the "dredging flour" with salt and pepper and set aside. Take 2 of the maple sausage links and cut them into half so you have 4 pieces. Open the chicken breasts and remove the "fillet" and reserve for another use. Make a small pocket in the inside of the breast. Place 1 of the sausage pieces in the pocket and wrap the breast around it creating a closed container surrounding the sausage. Dredge the breasts in the prepared flour and set the 4 breasts on a clean plate. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an oven safe lidded skillet. Starting with the open end first, brown the breasts fully being careful not to open the closed breast. As the breasts cook, the opening will seal making it easier to finish the searing and browning. Once fully browned cover and place in the oven and cook through. Using a small saucepan, combine basil pesto and cream and mix well. Over medium heat reduce the pesto/cream mixture by 1/3 and set aside.
• For the spinach: Plump the raisins in a cup of warm water and set aside. Cut the remaining sausage in to small pieces and set aside. Remove the frozen spinach from the package. Carefully cut the blocks into 8 large pieces. Using a lidded skillet, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the sausage and lightly brown. Add the frozen spinach and cover. When the spinach has totally thawed combine the onion and sausage and season with salt to taste. Add the raisins and their liquid and finish cooking, about 10 minutes. Allow the liquid to evaporate but do not dry out completely.
• Tomatoes, zucchini flowers and string beans: Using a non-stick pan quickly sear the tomatoes in some butter. Do not cook them longer than 30 seconds on each side. Reserve the pan and juices for cooking the zucchini flowers. Gently open the zucchini flower and remove the piston from its center. Replace it with a small piece of brie and close the flower. Using the same pan from above quickly cook the zucchini flowers. They are done when you see the Brie melting. Remove from the pan and place 1 on each of the seared tomato slices. Set aside. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the string beans and cook until your desired doneness. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon. Season with the freshly ground black pepper.
• Remove the roasted chicken breasts from the oven and remove the skin. Place one breast centered on the lower third of the individual plate. Place a zucchini flower topped tomato on each plate centered above the breast. Frame the plate with some dressed sting beans on one side and the sauteed spinach on the other. Slowly re-heat the basil pesto sauce and place 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the sauce on each breast. Serve warm and enjoy.

ONE-DISH CHICKEN AND STUFFING BAKE

Steps:

• Mix water and butter. Add stuffing. Mix lightly.
• Spoon stuffing along center of 3-quart shallow baking dish. Arrange chicken on each side of stuffing and sprinkle with paprika.
• Mix soup, milk and parsley. Pour over chicken. Cover.
• Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until done.

PERFECT ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken giblets. Rinse the chicken inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pin feathers and pat the outside dry. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the chicken. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, both halves of lemon, and all the garlic. Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. Place the onions, carrots, and fennel in a roasting pan. Toss with salt, pepper, 20 sprigs of thyme, and olive oil. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top.
• Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes. Slice the chicken onto a platter and serve it with the vegetables.

HEARTY ROASTED CHICKEN AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place the chicken into a roasting pan. Add the onions, peppers, potatoes and sausage. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning. Pour the broth over all.
• Roast at 375 degrees F for 1 hour or until the chicken and sausage are cooked through, turning the chicken over once halfway through the roasting time and basting occasionally with the pan juices.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, celery and red pepper in butter until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender; do not drain. , Place croutons in a large bowl; add sausage mixture. Stir in the parsley, tarragon, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir in enough broth until stuffing is moistened and holds together. , Just before baking, loosely stuff chicken. Place with breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Pour 1/2 cup broth around chicken. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for chicken and 165° for stuffing, basting occasionally with pan juices.

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH HOLIDAY STUFFING

Steps:

• Combine marinade ingredients in a bowl. Rub chicken inside and out with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• Stuffing: Soak the dried chestnuts overnight in water. Place them in a pan with water and simmer, covered, until soft, about 30 minutes; drain. Discard the stems and thinly slice the mushroom caps. Place a wok over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add sausage; stir-fry until sausage is slightly crisp, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add shallots, green onions, chestnuts, mushrooms and cilantro. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in oyster-flavored sauce, and sesame oil. Remove pan from heat and add rice; mix well. Let stuffing cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Just before roasting, place stuffing inside chicken; enclose with skewers. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of thigh meat, without touching bone. Bake until thermometer registers 180 to 185 degrees, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. During the last half of roasting time, baste chicken occasionally with pan juices.