Merry Christmas with a twist of flavour
Christmas time again. We are celebrating Christmas on budget that is filled with a great savouring homemade meal. Let us go with roast chicken instead of turkey. Instead of ham I use ready cooked turkey meat with rice as stuffing. Today, I have been naughty; I decided to change the flavour of my roast chicken with turkey rice stuffing. I have added Italian seasoning.
It’s good for a change and there is other food such as entrees, salads, ready cooked prawns and roast pork that my sisters are making them. For dessert, I too have added something different; it’s a heavy and dessert to end the festive celebration. Well, I will be post my sticky dates pudding with brandy ginger caramel sauce tomorrow. Be ready to browse them tomorrow.
This year my sister’s turned to host at her house. Everyone brings a plate or two to share. Instead of buying presents for everyone, we are making it Kris Kringle as there are not many children under the age of 12. Roast chicken does seem to be popular in most households here. My roast chicken is sure crispy, juicy, with turkey rice and Italian seasoning stuffing to boost the flavour. Let’s roast and celebrate Christmas with a twist!!!!
Ingredients
Roast chicken
1 whole chicken size 16, about 3 lb; big enough for stuffing
Skin Coating
salt
pepper
spray oil
Rice
5 cups uncooked washed rice; long grain
Turkey stuffing to go with cooked rice
150 g dried apricots, cuts into small pieces
125 g sliced mushrooms, cut into small pieces
380 g roasted turkey meat, cut into bite size
1/2 c finely cut parsley
2 stalks finely cut spring onions
180 g pine nuts
30-50 g butter
Italian Seasoning
drizzle oil
salt
pepper
Method
To cook rice one day in advance
Wash rice and fill with water slightly above the line of 5 cups level. Wipe dry pot of rice cooker. Then put into the rice cooker and let it cook.
Note: Cook according to rice cooker’s manual instruction. Make sure enough water. Once cooked open the cover of rice cooker to cool the cooked rice. Cover with tiny hold netting basket and set aside.
The next day
Prepare chicken and turkey rice stuffing with cooked rice
Clean the chicken with water and pat dry inside and out. Place chicken to sit on the metal stand for roasting with a plate at the bottom and place in fridge to air dry.
Wash hands clean and dry them. Toast pine nuts in saucepan until light brown. Set aside. Next cut apricots, mushrooms, and turkey meat into the big basin. Then finely cut parsley and spring onions and add to the big basin. Now spoon the cooked rice butter, and add Italian seasoning into a big basin with the cut up ingredients and mix well. Season well with oil, salt and pepper. Set aside until needed.
Heat up the oven to 200 degrees C and place a tray at the bottom of the rack. Bring out the chicken from fridge to room temperature for about 10 minutes and remove the metal stand; place chicken on a chopping board. Wash hands clean and dry hands and rub salt and pepper all over the chicken inside and outside of chicken. Then place the chicken in a basin with bottom opening facing you.
Wear gloves and stuff as much turkey rice stuffing with cooked rice into the cavity; use safety pins to clip the end so the stuffing will not fall out. Remove one glove, and spray oil all over the chicken, in between wings and drimsticks.
Put back on glove, transfer the chicken onto the rack in oven. Roast for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes time up; turn over chicken the other side. Roast further for 30 minutes.
Meantime, remove the baking tray with the chicken oil dripping into the baking tray. Spoon the remaining turkey rice stuffing into the baking tray with oil drippings. Toss the turkey rice stuffing to coat in oil. If needed drizzle some more oil. Spread them out to cover the baking tray.
Put the baking tray with coated with oil turkey rice stuffing back into oven. Continue to roast chicken until golden brown. Switch off oven. Remove turkey rice stuffing from oven.
Transfer the turkey rice stuffing to a big bowl and cover with foil. Then remove chicken from oven onto a chopping board. Let it cool for 5 minutes. Remove the safety pins, remove the turkey rice stuffing from the inside of chicken and place together with the remaining turkey stuffing. Then chop up chicken, place on top of the turkey stuffing and serve immediately with other festive food. Enjoy with sauces, vegetables, and other side dishes. Also, with wine champagne, brandy, beer or soft drinks!!!
Note: You may need more or less time to cook chicken as temperature vary. You may use chicken stock instead of duck stock. You may use turkey instead of chicken. I use chicken as I am on budget and it’s easier to handle.
https://helenscchin.com/2025/12/21/roast-chicken-with-turkey-rice-italian-seasoning-stuffing/
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