Baked Chicken with Italian Sausage Stuffing

Stuffed fowl has been an Italian favorite since ancient Rome. You can make and cook this stuffing separately, or use it to stuff chicken, turkey, duck, or goose. This recipe makes about 4 cups of stuffing enough for 1 to 2 chickens depending on cavity size or a small turkey (12 to 15 lbs). Double the recipe for a large turkey. Leftover stuffing can be cooking in the pan with the chicken.

Baked Chicken with Italian Sausage Stuffing is a flavorful alternative to traditional American bread stuffings. You can use hot or sweet Italian sausage. Lean homemade sausage reduces saturated fat and sodium. Links to sausage recipes are provided below.

Adding Vegetables

Turkeys can take up the whole pan. But if your pan is large enough, a simple way to add vegetables to your meal is to bake them with your chicken or turkey.

Chicken baked with potatoes and carrots is a popular southern Italian recipe. The vegetables absorb the flavors from the poultry juice. You can add potatoes, carrots, and root vegetables whether or not you stuff your bird.

Food Safety

Chicken and turkey are two foods than harbor harmful bacteria. Unlike beef, pork, and seafood, poultry must be fully cooked to prevent food borne illness.

To prevent overcooking and dry white meat, use a kitchen thermometer or your ovens probe to assure your chicken or turkey is fully cooked. Thigh, breast, and stuffing must be 165°F (74°C). When cooking whole poultry, you can remove the bird from your oven at 160°F and allow it to rest about 15 minutes. During that time, internal temperature will rise to 165°F. This will prevent the breast meat from overcooking and drying out.

Baking Stuffing Separately

Sausage stuffing goes well with pork and fish. You can make and bake the stuffing separately. Place the cooked stuffing in a 4 qt/L (7×10 inch) baking dish, cover, and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes. Increasing or decrease baking times if you use a smaller or larger baking dish. The temperature at the center should be about 165°F (74°C).

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is based on using lean homemade pork sausage. Add 50 calories when using commercially prepared pork sausage. Subtract 50 calories when using turkey sausage.

Cook’s Tips

• Adjust the amount of liquid (wine, broth) depending on the dryness of your bread. Using soft, sliced bread requires less liquid. The amount of liquid is more important when baking the stuffing separately to prevent it from drying out.
• Remove the cover from chicken during the final 15 to 20 minutes to brown the skin.
• Stuffing can be baked separately or cooked in your microwave oven. Bake, covered 30 to 40 minutes at 350°F or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Substitutions

1 teaspoon dried parsley for fresh parsley.

1/2 teaspoon dried basil for fresh basil.

Chicken or vegetable broth for the wine.

Related Recipes

Hot Italian Sausage

Turkey Sausage

Turkey Sausage Stuffing

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 lb (1800-2250 g) whole chicken
• 1/2 lb. (225 g) lean hot or sweet Italian sausage
• 1/4 lb. (115 g) lean ground beef
• 4 to 5 slices (125-150 g) French or Italian bread
• 1 (150 g) small onion, diced
• 2 to 3 (125 g) celery ribs, diced
• 3 to 4 tablespoons (45-60 ml) fresh Italian parsley, minced
• 3 to 4 teaspoons (15-20 ml) fresh basil, minced (optional)
• 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) dry white wine, broth, or water
• Kosher salt to taste
• Black pepper
• Olive oil
• For Stuffed Chicken with Carrots and Potatoes
• 3 (900 g) medium russet potatoes, pealed and quartered
• 8 oz. (225 g) carrots, peeled and cut about 3-inches long

Method of Preparation