Sunday Roast Chicken with Chestnut Stuffing

A huge Sunday chicken can translate into chicken salad sandwiches during the week.

From Reader's Digest

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During the Depression, many folks could afford to serve chicken only for special meals, like Sunday dinner.

You will need
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium-size yellow onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cups dried bread cubes
1 can (151⁄2 ounces) chestnuts in brine, drained, rinsed, and chopped, or 2 cups chopped cooked chestnuts
1⁄4 cup pecan pieces, toasted
1 teaspoon each dried thyme leaves and savory leaves
1⁄2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper
3⁄4 cup lower-sodium chicken broth
1 whole broiler-fryer chicken (21⁄2 to 3 pounds), giblets removed
Chicken Gravy (recipe below)

What to do
1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over moderately high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Remove the saucepan from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes, chestnuts, pecans, thyme, savory, salt, and pepper. Stir in the onion mixture. Stir the chicken broth into bread cube mixture; toss to coat.

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rinse chicken; drain and pat dry. Stuff and truss chicken (page 185). Then, place chicken, breast-side-up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Insert a roasting thermometer into thickest part of its thigh without touching bone. Spoon the remaining stuffing into a lightly greased 11⁄2-quart casserole; cover and refrigerate. Roast chicken for 1 to 11⁄4 hours or until the thermometer registers 180°F. Bake the covered casserole of stuffing alongside the chicken during the last 20 to 30 minutes of roasting. Let chicken stand for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare Chicken Gravy. Carve chicken, discarding skin. Serve with gravy.

Makes 6 servings.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Standing Time: 10 minutes

Nutrition Information
1 Serving: Calories 439.
Total Fat 18 g. Saturated Fat 6 g.
Protein 32 g.
Carbohydrate 38 g.
Fiber 4 g.
Sodium 532 mg.
Cholesterol 90 mg.

Chicken Gravy
In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated skimmed milk, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon lower-sodium chicken or beef bouillon granules, and 1⁄8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook over moderate heat, whisking constantly, for 5 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. Cook and whisk for 2 minutes more or until thickened.

Makes 11⁄2 cups.

1⁄4 Cup: Calories 23.
Total Fat 0 g.
Saturated Fat 0 g.
Protein 1 g.
Carbohydrate 4 g.
Fiber 0 g.
Sodium 16 mg.
Cholesterol 0 mg.