Karen demonstrated to the Gilmore Park Church community kitchen a Roasted Chicken with Apple Stuffing which she will be preparing for the community meal the next day. The original recipe has bacon in it but Karen tries not to include pork in the meal as to respect the dietary restriction of some of the people who come for the community meal.

The stuffing is cooked separately and used as the base for holding the chicken instead of stuff inside the bird. This way of cooking the stuffing is more safe as we do not have to worry about the stuffing not cook through.

What I like about this recipe is that it uses chicken pieces instead of the whole bird.

Ingredients

• 4 pieces of chicken legs or thighs
• 6 cups cubed French bread
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 red apple, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 2 tablespoons, chopped fresh sage or a sprig of fresh sage
• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

A few tips on preventing the apple from browning after cutting.

• Use Honey Crisp apple.
• Sprinkle the cut apple with canned pineapple juice.
• Soak in lightly salted water.

Click on the link below for the instructions.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Set a skillet over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the onion for a few minutes or until lightly brown.

Add the celery and apple and cook until tender, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add a sprig of sage or chopped ones. Karen used the whole sprig so that she can remove it later.

Add the apple juice and season with salt and pepper.

Add in the bread cubes and toss to combine. If the stuffing looks too dry, you may add more apple juice.

Place the stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole. You may use vegetable spray for lesser calories. Place the chicken pieces on top of the stuffing. Season the chicken with salt and pepper as you preferred.Bake in the oven for about 1 hour. Karen, thank you for sharing the recipe with us.