Chicken Baked over Mushroom Dressing
Roasting a chicken on top of a three-mushroom stuffing keeps it moist and juicy. This is a comfy treat any winter night.
From EatingWell: November/December 2008
Yield: 4 servings, 3 ounces chicken & about 1 cup dressing each
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 2 hours
Ingredients
- 1 4 1/2-pound chicken
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
- 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms, (about 8 ounces)
- 2 cups chopped portobello mushroom caps, (about 2 small), gills removed if desired (see Tip)
- 2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps, (4 1/2 ounces with stems)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 5 cups stale whole-wheat bread cubes, (1-inch; see Tip)
- 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Remove giblets (if included) from chicken and trim any excess skin. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat and rub thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper and 3/4 teaspoon salt under the skin. Tuck wing tips under and tie legs together with kitchen string. Place breast-side down in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Roast the chicken for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place sliced leeks in a colander; rinse and drain well. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add bell pepper; cook for 1 minute. Add cremini, portobello and shiitake mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates to a glaze, about 7 minutes. Stir in rosemary, sage and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Stir in bread and broth.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Skim or blot any fat from the pan juices. Add the bread mixture to the roasting pan and spread in an even layer.
- Place the chicken, breast-side up, on top of the dressing. Return to the oven and continue roasting until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, about 45 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let rest for 10 minutes before removing the string and carving. Serve the chicken with the dressing.
- Make Ahead Tip: Equipment: Kitchen string
- Tips: The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello are edible, but if you like you can scrape them off with a spoon.
- If you don't have stale bread on hand, toast bread cubes at 250°F until crisped and dry, about 20 minutes.
Nutrition Per serving:
368 calories; 11 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 77 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrates; 35 g protein; 6 g fiber; 725 mg sodium; 798 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Vitamin A (35% dv), Potassium (23% dv), Folate (22% dv), Iron & Magnesium (21% dv).
1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 2 vegetable, 4 lean meat