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I love learning new cooking techniques, and this one tackles one which has intimidated me for quite some time – de-boning a whole chicken. After consulting my many references like “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” to see what Julia had to say, to watching a host of YouTube videos, I settled on this one by Jacques Pepin which goes through how to de-bone the bird, and then how to truss it up for roasting.
This is probably more a technique than a true recipe since it can be adapted to other birds, big and small (turkey, duck, or pheasant), as well as it can be stuffed with almost anything. I like it with spinach and sundried tomatoes, depending on your dietary choices, you can add cheeses as well.
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
5-6 pound whole chicken
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1/2 - 1 cup Crumbled Feta
Oil (coconut or olive – your choice)
Salt and pepper
Butchers twine!
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375. I use the convection roast setting.
Watch the Jacques Pepin video on how to de-bone the bird.
Ensure you have a sharp knife. Know where your butchers twine is. Watch the video again if you are scared.
De-bone the chicken. It is not that hard. Take your time, our friend Jacques has done 1,000k+ birds, we are just learning so there is no rush.
Lay out your boneless masterpiece. Don't forget the tenderloins on the carcass. Pat yourself on the back, you did it!
Season the inside with salt and pepper.
Defrost the frozen spinach and squeeze out all the water. Place in paper towel and squeeze some more.
In a small bowl, combine the spinach and feta cheese.
Spread an even layer of filling inside the bird. Don't forget to stuff the legs.
Fold the bird back into shape, then gently roll it onto its belly like the video.
Just like the video, tie the legs together with butchers twine, then carefully truss the bird as Jaques shows you.
Carefully lift the bundle of success and place on a rack in a roasting pan.
Slather the skin with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast in the oven for 1 hr. If you are using an uncooked meat stuffing like sausage, check the internal temperature and adjust cooking time if needed.
Once done, remove from oven and tent with foil, letting the roast rest for 10-15 min.
Slice and serve with your choice of vegetables.
Serving suggestions:
Serving suggestions:
This technique can be adapted to your tastes and the occasion. It's fancy enough to entertain with, and easy to prepare the bird in advance of your guests arriving, requiring very little time in the kitchen to finish. Then again, I make this on a Monday for the family.
The kids love a Florentine mixture with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and I add in some good sheep milk feta (yes, I know it's not 100% paleo).
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