Recipe: Roasted Chicken Stuffed Under the Skin with Duxelles or Spinach-Ricotta Stuffing (with photos)

ROASTED CHICKEN STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN


1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds) or 2 rock Cornish hens (at least 1 1/2 pounds each)
Duxelles or Spinach-Ricotta Stuffing (recipes follow)
1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the neck and giblets from chicken, then rinse and pat dry.

Prepare Duxelles or Spinach-Ricotta Stuffing.

Butterfly the bird(s) (slice in half, lengthwise). Inserting your hand at the wing end of the breast, loosen the skin over the breast and around the thigh and drumstick. Generously pack the stuffing under the skin, first pushing it over the drumstick and thigh and then over the breast*. Cut a 1/2-inch slit in the skin on either side of the breast, about 1-inch from the tip, and slip the end of 1 drumstick into each opening. Smooth the stuffing with your hands to give the bird(s) a plump but natural shape. Place the bird(s) skin side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with the melted butter.



Roast until the thickest part of the thigh exudes clear juices when pricked deeply with a fork and registers 170 to 175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 45 to 50 minutes for the chicken, 25 to 30 minutes for the hens.

*NOTES: PLACING STUFFING UNDER THE SKIN
Stuffing placed between the skin and breast meat of a bird flavors it and helps keep it moist while cooking. Fine-textured stuffings work best. They are easy to handle when stuffing and easy to carve through when cooking is done.

Easing in your hand at the neck end of the bird, loosen the skin over the breast and around the thigh and drumstick. Move as far down the breast as you can go without tearing the skin.Pack the stuffing evenly down the length and across the width of the breast, wrapping the flap of the skin at the neck end of the bird over the stuffing.

DUXELLES
Makes about 1/2 cup

8 ounces mushrooms, wiped clean
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons very finely minced shallots or scallions (white part only)
1 tablespoon dry sherry or Madeira
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream (optional)
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Pinch of dried thyme

Chop very fine or pulse mushrooms in a food processor until they resemble coarse sand.

Squeeze about 1/4 cup of the mushrooms at a time in dampened cheesecloth or a thin cotton towel and wring them very hard to extract their bitter juices. The mushrooms will be in a solid lump if you have squeezed hard enough. (Squeeze all the moisture out of the chopped mushrooms or they will not brown properly.)

Heat butter and oil in a medium skillet until the foam subsides. Add shallots and cook briefly over medium heat.

Add the mushrooms and cook stirring often, over medium-high heat until they have begun to brown and there is very little liquid, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in sherry. Cook until completely evaporated.

Add cream (optional), salt and pepper, and thyme. Let cool, then refrigerate in a container for up to 10 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFING
Makes about 2 cups

"Stuff this mixture under the skins of chicken pieces or of a whole, butterfiied, flattened bird."

1 (12 ounce) bunch or (10 ounce) bag spinach, trimmed, washed, and coarsely chopped or 1 (10 ounce) box of frozen spinach, thawed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs from day-old bread
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch of freshly grated or ground nutmeg

Heat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat the spinach until wilted. (If substituting frozen spinach, thaw a 10-ounce box of frozen spinach, squeeze it to remove excess liquid, chop coarsely, then toss with the breadcrumbs and ricotta cheese.)
Remove from the heat. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess liquid; set aside.

Return the pan to medium heat and heat the oil. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Combine the spinach and sauteed vegetables in a large bowl and toss with remaining ingredients. Use as a stuffing.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Joy of Cooking: All About Chicken by Irma S. Rombauer, Ethan Becker and Marion Rombauer Becker