Sally Starin's Whole Roasted Chicken with Three Nut Stuffing

Name: Sally Starin's Whole Roasted Chicken with Three Nut Stuffing
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H40M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT2H15M0.000S
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 8 stale hot dog buns (1 to 2 days old; see Cook's Note); 4 stale hamburger buns (1 to 2 days old; see Cook's Note); 1 1/2 cups pecan halves, chopped; 1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped; 1 cup jarred chestnuts, chopped; 1 tablespoon dried thyme; 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces; 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary; Two 3- to 4-pound chickens, rinsed and patted dry; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the roasting pan; 4 medium carrots; 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

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Level: Intermediate

Total: 2 hr 15 min (including resting time for the chicken)
Active: 40 min

Yield: 8 servings

Level: Intermediate

Total: 2 hr 15 min (including resting time for the chicken)
Active: 40 min

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

"Three Nut Stuffing:

8 stale hot dog buns (1 to 2 days old; see Cook's Note)

4 stale hamburger buns (1 to 2 days old; see Cook's Note)

1 1/2 cups pecan halves, chopped

1 1/2 cups walnuts, chopped

1 cup jarred chestnuts, chopped

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Whole Roasted Chicken:

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

Two 3- to 4-pound chickens, rinsed and patted dry

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the roasting pan

4 medium carrots

1 medium yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe.

For the nut stuffing: Finely crumble the stale hot dog and hamburger buns into a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in the pecans, walnuts, chestnuts, dried and fresh thyme, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Add the butter and microwave the mixture until the butter is melted and the nuts are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir the mixture together and set aside.
For the roast chicken: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix together the butter and rosemary in a small bowl and set aside. Using your fingertips, carefully work your way under the skin of the chickens to separate the skin from the breast. Rub half of the rosemary butter under the skin and over the breasts and the remaining rosemary-butter on top of the skin, covering the whole chicken, then liberally season each chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff both chickens generously with the nut stuffing.
Drizzle the oil into a roasting pan. Add the carrots and onion slices and place the chickens on top so they do not touch the bottom of pan. Roast the chickens until the skin is a deep golden brown and crispy and the juices at the leg/thigh joint run clear, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Transfer the chickens to a cutting board, tent with foil, and rest for 10 minutes. Remove the stuffing from the chickens and place it in a medium bowl. Carve the chickens and serve with the stuffing, roasted carrots and onions on the side.
Ten cups of crumbled, stale white sandwich bread can be used in place of the hamburger and hot dog buns.