Stuffing Preparation

• Stuffing takes on the flavor of the chicken while roasting or baking, and gains that baked character of a crusty outer edge with a moist inside. However, cooking it on the stove top is the first step. Prepare the instant stuffing according to package instructions. After letting it sit according to the directions and fluffing it with a fork, add it to your prepared bird. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit while preparing the chicken.

Chicken Preparation

• Choose a roasting chicken about 5 pounds in weight. Unwrap the chicken and remove the neck and giblets from the cavity. Rinse the inside and outside of the chicken with cool water and pat it dry. Stuff the bird as soon as the stuffing is ready. According to the USDA, it's safer to stuff the bird with hot stuffing than to let it cool to room temperature. Don't overstuff the chicken because the stuffing expands during cooking.

Cooking the Stuffed Chicken

• Place the stuffed chicken in a shallow, oven-safe baking dish. Brush the skin with olive oil or melted butter to help brown the skin. Cover the bird loosely with heavy-duty aluminum foil to hold in moisture. Bake for 1.5 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 F. Insert the meat thermometer into the stuffing to read its temperature, which should also be 165 F in the center. Remove the foil covering about 20 to 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time to finish browning the skin.

Tips and Tricks

• Jazz up instant stuffing by stirring in additional ingredients such as diced garlic, chopped nuts or raisins before stuffing the bird. When preparing the chicken, rub seasonings and herbs under the skin onto the meat directly. Try rubbing a whole peeled garlic clove or a cut lemon on the meat. Insert dried sage or fresh rosemary under the skin. Avoid basting a stuffed bird. Basting won't increase moisture in the chicken because it doesn't penetrate the skin and opening the oven repeatedly only lowers the temperature in the oven and increases the cooking time.