Honey-Baked Chicken
Submitted by tiggercat
Honey-baked chicken stuffed with a sauteed squash, zucchini, pecan, and whole wheat breadcrumb dressing, basted with apple juice and honey glaze. A lighter roast chicken with a vegetable-packed stuffing.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2 hrsThis roast chicken gets a lighter treatment than most. The skin is removed before roasting, and the stuffing is loaded with shredded yellow squash, zucchini, onion, celery, and garlic sauteed until tender-crisp, then bound with whole wheat breadcrumbs, a beaten egg, and chopped pecans.
The apple juice and honey basting glaze is what keeps the skinless bird from drying out. Brushed on before roasting and basted throughout, it builds a glossy, caramelized coat that seals in moisture and turns deeply golden as the sugars in the honey caramelize.
Trussing the chicken before baking keeps the stuffing inside and helps the bird cook evenly. Check for doneness by wiggling a drumstick. When it moves easily and the juices run clear, it’s ready.
Kitchen Tips
- Sauté the vegetables until tender-crisp, not soft. They continue cooking inside the hot chicken and will turn to mush if overdone at this stage.
- Stuff the chicken lightly. Packing the cavity too tight means the center of the stuffing doesn’t reach a safe temperature.
- Baste every 20 to 30 minutes with the remaining honey-apple glaze for the deepest color and moistest meat.
Variations
- Add diced apple to the stuffing for a sweet, fruity element that pairs with the honey glaze.
- Use walnuts instead of pecans in the dressing.
- Swap the honey-apple glaze for a maple-Dijon mixture for a different sweet-savory coating.
Ingredients
Directions
Discard giblets and neck of chicken.
Rinse chicken under cold, running water, and pat dry.
Set aside.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with Pam, place over med-hi heat until hot.
Add yellow squash, zucchini, onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté until tender-crisp.
Drain. Combine vegetable mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, pecans, salt, and pepper in a med bowl; stir well.
Place chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan that has been coated with Pam.
Stuff lightly with dressing mixture.
Truss chicken. Combine apple juice and honey, stirring well.
Brush chicken with half of apple juice-honey mixture.
Bake at 350℉ (180℃) F for 1½- 2 hours or until drumsticks are easy to move and juices run clear, basting occasionally with remaining apple-honey muixture.
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