Easy Oven-Roasted Stuffed Chicken

Want to take your roast chicken to the next level? Put some tasty bread stuffing in there! I have an easy and foolproof recipe that will ensure your chicken is juicy and flavorful, and the drippings will serve as the foundation for a delectable gravy.

➜ About the recipe

This recipe features a whole roast chicken with a Czech-style seasoned bread stuffing inside the chicken cavity. The stuffed chicken is placed in a baking dish on a bed of onions and sliced butter. These will become the starting point for a pan gravy.

In our family, I prepare stuffed chicken for special occasions, and it's a favorite among everyone. Unlike regular roast chicken, the stuffed version stays wonderfully moist, avoiding dryness, and boasts a golden crust on the outside.

➜ Ingredients to make stuffed chicken

✅ You will find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below, which you can also print out.

• Whole chicken; I used fresh chicken weighing about 5lb (2.5kg), enough for 4 servings
• Salt; to salt the chicken inside and out. 
• Unsalted butter
• All-purpose flour; to thicken the gravy
• Chicken stock
• Chicken drippings

• White toast bread; sliced
• Fully cooked ham; or slab bacon for more fat (and flavor)
• Whole milk
• Eggs; yolks and whites separately
• Flat-leaf parsley
• Nutmeg; ground. I recommend grating your nutmeg just before making the stuffing, as freshly grated nutmeg has more aroma than store-bought ground nutmeg. An easy way to grate the nutmeg is to use a hand box grater with small holes in the side.
• Salt and ground black pepper; to taste

Equipment: Choose a baking dish with raised sides that matches the size of the chicken. Leave some room around the bird to place any leftover stuffing that couldn't fit inside.

You also need toothpicks to close the chicken cavity, a pan to prepare the gravy, and a sieve to strain the gravy.

➜ How to make stuffed roast chicken

Preparing the chicken

STEP 1/9: Clean the chicken, rinse if necessary under running cold water, and pat dry with paper towels. Generously salt the skin and also lightly salt the cavity of the chicken.

Making the bread stuffing

STEP 2/9: Cut the toasted bread into cubes about ½ inch (1.5 cm) thick. Do the same with a slice of ham or bacon, cut into small cubes. Rinse the parsley and let it drain. Use a chef's knife to chop the herb roughly.

STEP 3/9: Separate the egg yolks from the whites and put the whites in a clean bowl. Add the egg yolks, salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg to the milk (photo 1). Using a hand whisk, beat until smooth.

Put the bread cubes in a large bowl. Pour the mixture of milk, egg yolks and spices over them (photo 2). Stir well and let the liquid soak in. Add parsley and ham (photo 3). Stir until combined.

STEP 4/9: Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff (photo 4). The quickest way is to use an electric hand mixer whisk. Gradually add the stiff egg whites to the stuffing, stirring gently by hand each time (photo 5).

The finished filling is fluffy, moist, with visible whipped egg whites (photo 6).

Stuffing the chicken

STEP 5/9: Fill the cavity of the chicken with the prepared stuffing. Close the chicken skin between the legs with wooden toothpicks.

NOTE: Shape the leftover stuffing into small balls and gently squeeze out any excess liquid. Place in the roasting dish and bake in the oven together with the chicken.

Laying out the baking dish

STEP 6/9: Peel the onion and cut it into thin wedges. Place them in the bottom of a baking dish, and put the chopped butter on top. Pour in about half a cup of water.

Place the stuffed chicken breast side down on a bed of onions and butter. Alongside the chicken, you can place the remaining stuffing, as I mentioned in the note above.

Cooking the stuffed chicken in the oven

STEP 7/9: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C (upper and lower heating). Place the chicken in the oven and roast for one hour.

Baste the chicken with the juices as it cooks. If there is not enough liquid in the bottom of the roasting pan, add half a cup of water.

After roasting for an hour, carefully flip the chicken breast side up. If your oven has a fan-forced function, this is the time to turn it on. If not, increase the temperature to 400°F/200°C and continue cooking until the chicken skin turns golden brown. This will take about half an hour more.

Making the pan gravy

STEP 8/9: Transfer the roasted chicken, including the stuffing that has been cooked around it, to a container, cover it with foil, and let it rest.

Pour the drippings from the baking dish into the pan. Be sure to scrape all the remnants from the bottom and add them to the pan as well.

Heat the pan with the drippings over medium heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly, until it sticks lightly to the bottom of the pan. This will take about a minute. Then set the pan aside and gradually pour in the cold chicken stock. Whisk well to break up any lumps.

Return to the heat, reduce the temperature, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes. The sauce should thicken but still be liquid. If necessary, add a splash of water and stir.

STEP 9/9: Place a sieve over a clean pot and pour the gravy into the sieve. Using a wooden spoon, stir and gently press the contents into the gravy, which will drip down into the pot. Discard the remaining onions in the sieve. Taste the sauce and, if necessary, season to taste.

➜ Serving

Time to set the table and enjoy the holiday meal! Carve the chicken into individual portions. I use either a high-quality chef's knife or poultry kitchen shears to cut the chicken.

Start by pouring about a quarter cup of the gravy onto the plate. Next, arrange a piece of stuffed chicken along with any extra baked stuffing (for semantic purpose, the separately baked stuffing is called dressing). Complete the meal by adding the side dish and serve.

What goes best with roasted stuffed chicken

For a light version of the dish, quickly whip up a vegetable salad, blanched vegetables such as broccoli or carrots, or grilled vegetables.

As this is a Czech recipe, I'll reveal the most popular Czech side dish for roast chicken: it's mashed or boiled potatoes. If you serve potatoes with the chicken, pour the gravy over them as the last step.

➜ Storage

Store leftover stuffed chicken in the refrigerator and use it within three days. Reheat in the microwave or on a frying pan.

➜ Useful tips

• You can use this stuffing for more than just chicken—try it with other poultry like guinea fowl, quail, goose, duck, or turkey. Just remember to adjust the cooking time and temperature based on the weight of the bird.
• What is the recommended baking time and temperature for roasting whole chickens? To cook a 5lb stuffed chicken, place it in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C for about an hour and a half. Consider increasing the temperature slightly for the last 20 minutes to achieve a golden skin color. You can check the internal temperature of the chicken with an instant meat thermometer, which should be at least between 165-175°F (75-80°C).

More tasty recipes:

• Chicken paprikash with dumplings
• Easy chicken schnitzel
• Oven-roasted pork shoulder