Fill Your Fowl

1. Mix together the stuffing about an hour before you start on the chicken so it's ready to go at the same time. You have a lot of options when it comes to stuffing, and when you think beyond the typical bread fillers you can come up with some interesting combinations. For example, you can use alternative grains and starches, such couscous, polenta and buckwheat, and add various proteins, such as chorizo, eggs, pulled pork, shredded beef or duck. Instead of using mirepoix, or carrots, onions and celery, for the base aromatic ingredients, you can use a sofrito of onions, peppers, tomatoes, garlic and coriander, or a holy trinity of celery, shallots, green peppers, garlic and parsley. Use a ratio of about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of bird, and store it covered in the refrigerator.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Pat the inside and outside of the chicken dry with paper towels. Snip the tail remnant from the bird using kitchen shears and pull out any fat from inside the cavity.

4. Season the chicken inside and out with kosher salt and black pepper. Coat the interior of the chicken with oil.

5. Stuff the cavity with about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of chicken and sew the cavity closed. Coat the outside of the chicken with oil and place it in a shallow baking dish. Place the chicken on the middle oven rack.

6. Bake the chicken for 30 minutes per pound, or until the thigh, breast and stuffing reach an internal temperature of 165 F. Spoon up the chicken drippings and baste the chicken about every 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven when checking the temperature with a meat thermometer.

7. Place the chicken on a plate and let it rest for about 15 minutes. Cut the twine and remove before serving.

Sew Before Searing

1. Place the chicken breast-side up on the work surface if it wasn't cut open when it was deboned, and thread a trussing needle with about 1.5 feet of twine

   If the chicken was cut open when it was deboned, place it breast-side down on the work surface and thread a trussing needle with a piece of butcher's twine about 3 feet long.

2. Insert the trussing needle at the top on one side of the cavity, about 1/2 inch to the inside of the edge. Pull the twine through except for about 3 inches of it at the open end and tie a knot or two in the 3-inch piece of twine so it won't slip through. Insert the needle on the other side of the cavity straight across from where you inserted it on the first side and pull it tight enough to close, but not enough to tear the skin. Cross the twine over to the other side of the cavity and insert it through the bottom of the skin and bring it out the top, about 1/2 inch below the first place you inserted it. Continue trussing the chicken as you did the first two holes until you sew the cavity shut. Cut the twine and tie a knot or two in the open end of the twine.

   If you split the chicken open to remove the bones, bring the two cut edges of the chicken together to close the opening. Insert the needle about 1/2 inch inside of the seam where it starts at the neck and pull the twine through except for about 3 inches of it at the open end. Tie a knot or two in the 3-inch piece of twine so it won't slip through. Insert the needle on the other side of the seam straight across from where you inserted it on the first side and pull it taught, but not enough to tear the skin. Cross the twine over again to the first side and insert it through the bottom of the skin and bring it out the top, about 1/2 inch below the knot. Cross the twine over again, inserting it about 1/2 below the hole. Continue sewing the seam shut, making each successive pair of holes 1/2 inch below the previous one. Cut the twine and tie a knot or two in the open end of the twine after you sew the opening closed.

3. Fold the flap of neck skin over the neck opening and tuck the wings back and under the bird so they hold the neck skin in place. Fold the legs under the body and shape the chicken to look like it would look unstuffed, or full and round.