Mushroom-Leek Bread Stuffing with Herbs
By America's Test KitchenPublished on March 31, 2010
Yield
Enough for 1 butterflied chicken
Ingredients
Before You Begin
The dried bread cubes for this stuffing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes in single layer on baking sheet; bake until thoroughly dried but not browned, about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking time.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat; when foam subsides, add leek, celery, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sage, thyme, and parsley and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk egg, broth, salt, and pepper in large bowl until combined. Add bread cubes and leek/mushroom mixture; toss gently until evenly moistened and combined. Set aside. Prepare Stuffed Roast Butterflied Chicken according to recipe (see related content), using stuffing when called for in step 3.
Yield
Enough for 1 butterflied chickenIngredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
When we serve roast chicken, we want enough stuffing for everyone at the table and then some. We also want the stuffing cooked to a safe temperature while soaking up the flavorful juices of the chicken without turning greasy, burning, or drying out.
We made an aluminum foil bowl, mounded the stuffing into it, and placed the chicken on top, snugly encasing the stuffing. After about an hour of roasting, with a single pan rotation in between, the stuffing was browned and chewy on the bottom as well as moist and flavorful throughout from the juices. The fat from the chicken skin dripped directly into the roasting pan, never even touching the stuffing. Even though the roasting pan was hot, we could easily grab the foil bowl with bare hands and dump the stuffing in one fell swoop into a serving bowl. Good technique and cleanup, all in one.
With our cooking technique established, we could now focus on the stuffing specifics. An informal poll in the test kitchen revealed that most people wanted a jazzed-up version of traditional bread stuffing. We replaced the traditional onion with a thinly sliced leek, tossed in chopped mushrooms for texture and substance, and added the requisite celery. Minced garlic, fresh sage and parsley, and chicken broth finished our recipe.
Before You Begin
The dried bread cubes for this stuffing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 250 degrees. Spread bread cubes in single layer on baking sheet; bake until thoroughly dried but not browned, about 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking time.
- Meanwhile, heat butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat; when foam subsides, add leek, celery, and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sage, thyme, and parsley and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Whisk egg, broth, salt, and pepper in large bowl until combined. Add bread cubes and leek/mushroom mixture; toss gently until evenly moistened and combined. Set aside. Prepare Stuffed Roast Butterflied Chicken according to recipe (see related content), using stuffing when called for in step 3.
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