Roast Chicken With Seed Bread Stuffing

From Rosie Daley, this chicken takes a little more prep time, but is worth it.

• Ready In: 1 hr 40 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  large carrots
• 3  stalks celery
• 1  large onion
• 4  lbs roasting chickens, split in half
• 5  garlic cloves, halved
• 1  medium lemon
• 1  tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
• 1⁄2 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon pepper

• FOR THE STUFFING

• 1⁄2 cup  chicken stock
•  cooking spray
• 1  cup onion, chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  cup mushroom, minced
• 1  cup celery, chopped
• 1  cup dry white wine
• 6  cups  bread cubes, light wheat toasted
• 1  green apple, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup seedless raisin
• 2  teaspoons poppy seeds
• 2  teaspoons sunflower seeds
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground sage
• 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper
• 1  dash cayenne
• 2  large  egg whites, beaten

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Trim, peel, and cut into large chunks, the carrots, celery, and onion.
3. Scatter the carrots, celery, and onion in a roasting pan.
4. Place the halves of chicken, skin side up, on the vegetables.
5. Randomly tuck 5 pieces of garlic under the skin on each half.
6. Squeeze the lemon over the chicken.
7. Dust with the tarragon, paprika, seasoned salt, and peppers.
8. Cover and put in the oven.
9. Make the stuffing while the chicken is cooking.
10. Put the chicken stock in a small saucepan over the lowest heat.
11. Preheat a medium, heavy frying pan for about 1 minute over medium heat.
12. Spray it twice with the vegetable oil.
13. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and celery.
14. Saute for 3 minutes.
15. Add the wine and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until the vegetables are limp.
16. Remove the pan from the heat.
17. Combine the bread, apple, raisins, poppy seeds, sunflower seeds, sage, and peppers in a large bowl and toss to mix.
18. Add the warm chicken stock, the vegetable mixture, and the egg whites.
19. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
20. Pour the stuffing mixture into a casserole and cover.
21. When the chicken has cooked for 15 minutes, put the casserole of stuffing in the oven and bake alongside the chicken.
22. When the chicken has cooked 45 minutes, uncover, baste lightly with pan juices, and return the roasting pan to the oven uncovered.
23. Now bake both for 15 minutes, or until the thigh juices of the chicken run clear.
24. Total cooking time for the chicken is 1 hour; 45 minutes for the stuffing.
25. Remove the skin and carve the meat from the bones.