Stuffed Chicken with Apples

Stuffed chicken with apples is my adaptation of pintade farcie aux pommes, stuffed guinea fowl with apples, from the Normandy region of France.  I opted to use locally raised chickens instead and swapped out the traditional beef and pork stuffing for my butcher’s homemade sweet Italian sausage.

Sausage, onions, and apples sauteed in butter and brandy fill two small, buttered and herbed chickens, roasted long and slow to perfection.  Additional apples, imparting their seasonal fragrance, are quartered and sauteed until golden, adding yet another delectable layer to this comforting dish.

To finish, the pan juices are simmered down to a robust essence, hinted with cream, then trickled over the stuffing, apples, and chicken.  This is a dish worthy of your Sunday family dinner.

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Chicken Stuffed with Apples

An autumn favorite using harvested apples and sausage to stuff two chickens, finished with pan juices simmered to a robust essence, hinted with cream, and drizzled on top.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: apples, chicken

Author: Chasing the Seasons

Ingredients

• 2 (3-5 lb [1360-2267 g]) whole chickens
• 1/2 cup butter, divided
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• Mixed dried herbs of choice recommended are sage and thyme
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage casings removed if using links
• 5 apples recommended are honeycrisp, cortland or braeburn
• 1/3 cup apple brandy recommended is Paul Masson brand
• 1 egg, well beaten
• 3 tbsp heavy cream, more if needed

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400 F. (204 C.)
• In a large roasting pan, use 4 tablespoons (60 g) of butter, divided, to evenly butter-up the tops and sides of both chickens.  Season both chickens with salt, pepper, and dried mixed herbs.  Add 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter to the roasting pan and set aside
• In a large pan over low-medium heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 g) of butter.  Once the butter has melted, add the onions and sausage.  Lightly season with salt and pepper and break up any large lumps of sausage with a cooking spoon.  Cook until the onions are tender and the sausage has nearly cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, peel and dice only two of the apples and add to the pan, stir to combine.  Turn off the heat to add the brandy, gently stir to mix.  Return to low-medium heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the apples are tender but still retain a subtle bite.
• Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.  Slowly stream in the egg while stirring the mixture so as to temper the egg and prevent it from scrambling.  Divide the stuffing between the two chickens and spoon into the cavities.
• Add the chickens to the oven and roast for 20 minutes.  Lower the temperature to 325 F. (163 C.) and cook for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until the skin turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 F. (74 C), check by inserting a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.  Allow the chickens to rest for 10 minutes.  Then transfer them to a cutting board, reserving the pan juices in the roasting pan.
• In the meantime, peel, core, and quarter the remaining three apples.  Skim off the top oily layer of butter from the roasting pan (by slightly tipping it) and add it to a large pan.  Over medium heat, saute the quartered apples in the fat until golden, adding more butter only if needed.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the apples and set aside.
• Quarter the chicken.  Add the stuffing to a warm serving platter and arrange the quartered apples on top.  Top with the quartered chicken.
• Set the roasting pan, with the remaining pan juices, over two burners and bring to a full rapid boil for a few minutes.  Allow the juices to reduce to an essence.  Remove from heat and slowly stir in the cream, use more cream if necessary.  Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary.  If there’s a need to gently re-heat, do not bring to a boil.  Drizzle the sauce over the stuffing and chicken, bringing the rest to the table.

Notes

Consider using creme fraiche in place of heavy cream.  Do not re-boil or it will separate.

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