# How do I cook my stuffed chicken



## jcheste2

i bought a four pound broiler chicken that is stuffed. How long should I cook it on what temp? Do I use foil. Will it taste good with rotissere seasoning on it? Give me any advice you have please I want to start dinner soon.


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## rickerred

jcheste2 said:


> i bought a four pound broiler chicken that is stuffed. How long should I cook it on what temp? Do I use foil. Will it taste good with rotissere seasoning on it? Give me any advice you have please I want to start dinner soon.



If u use a meat thermometer ensure it is in the stuffing as the internal temp must be 185f/85c to kill any bacteria.  Rub the bird all over with butter or marg this will make the bird golden brown, club house makes a poultry seasoning that is excellent or u can use garlic and onion powder and what ever spice u think will be good with chicken.  As for tinfoil I don't use any until the last 1/2 hour of cooking if needed.


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## jcheste2

I dont have a themometer... could you guess a ball park?


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## jennyema

Its 165, actually.  In the center of the stuffing. 

185 internally would mean the meat would be cooked til WAY overdone.

There is no "ballpark," sorry especially since the chicken was prestuffed and the stuffing is soaked with chicken blood and other juices.

You definitely risk food poisoning by not cooking the stuffing to 165.  You need a thermometer to tell.

They are cheap -- available in the grocery store.

If you can't get one, I'd remove the stuffing arrange it in a layer on a baking sheet and cook it in the oven for 20-30 minutes.  Or not eat it at all.

As far as the chicken, rub it with butter, season it how you like, and put it on a rack in a roasting pan in a 375 oven.  It should take about an hour to cook.  Again, when roasting any kind of meat or poultry, you really should have a thermometer to tell when it's done.  A chicken is done when its juices are clear and the leg wiggles easily.  But that is a very imperfect measure.


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## rickerred

jennyema said:


> Its 165, actually.  In the center of the stuffing.
> 
> 185 internally would mean the meat would be cooked til WAY overdone.
> 
> There is no "ballpark," sorry especially since the chicken was prestuffed and the stuffing is soaked with chicken blood and other juices.
> 
> You definitely risk food poisoning by not cooking the stuffing to 165.  You need a thermometer to tell.
> 
> They are cheap -- available in the grocery store.
> 
> If you can't get one, I'd remove the stuffing arrange it in a layer on a baking sheet and cook it in the oven for 20-30 minutes.  Or not eat it at all.
> 
> As far as the chicken, rub it with butter, season it how you like, and put it on a rack in a roasting pan in a 375 oven.  It should take about an hour to cook.  Again, when roasting any kind of meat or poultry, you really should have a thermometer to tell when it's done.  A chicken is done when its juices are clear and the leg wiggles easily.  But that is a very imperfect measure.



weird my thermometer the reads 185f for chicken all the websites read 165f


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## jennyema

Cooking the chicken itself is different than the stuffing.

Salmonella is killed @ 165. That's how hot the stuffing has to be. All of it.

Chicken may or may not be cooked at 165.

The general rule of thumb is 170 for white meat and 180 for dark.

185 is really high for chicken. It will probably be overcooked at that temperature.

There will be carry over cooking of maybe 5 degrees after you remove a whole chicken. SO take it out when it's 5 degrees lower than you want it to end up.

The key to a moist juicy bird is not to overcook it.


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## ChefJune

jennyema said:


> Its 165, actually. In the center of the stuffing.
> 
> 185 internally would mean the meat would be cooked til WAY overdone.
> 
> There is no "ballpark," sorry especially since the chicken was prestuffed and the stuffing is soaked with chicken blood and other juices.
> 
> You definitely risk food poisoning by not cooking the stuffing to 165. You need a thermometer to tell.
> 
> They are cheap -- available in the grocery store.
> 
> If you can't get one, I'd remove the stuffing arrange it in a layer on a baking sheet and cook it in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Or not eat it at all.
> 
> As far as the chicken, rub it with butter, season it how you like, and put it on a rack in a roasting pan in a 375 oven. It should take about an hour to cook. Again, when roasting any kind of meat or poultry, you really should have a thermometer to tell when it's done. A chicken is done when its juices are clear and the leg wiggles easily. But that is a very imperfect measure.


 
I'm so glad you said that, Jenny!  Especially for a pre-stuffed chicken, I would say it is doubly important to make sure the stuffing is cooked to temp.  However, it is always best to use a thermometer to confirm the meat is cooked through, as well.  Besides being ptentially dangerous, bacteriawise, undercooked chicken is particularly unappetizing, imho.


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## jcheste2

Thanks guys for all the helpful hints... I will let you know how dinner goes!


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## Constance

Didn't the chicken come with instructions on how to cook it?


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## Scotch

Buying pre-stuffed poultry is just not a good idea. This site says store-prepared pre-stuffed chicken breasts can be safely kept in the refrigerator for only a day. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has issued an advisory about pre-stuffed chicken breasts. And the USDA just thinks it's a bad idea altogether, even if the bird is frozen:_*Fresh Pre-Stuffed, Uncooked Whole Poultry:* USDA does not recommend buying retail-stuffed,                  uncooked fresh turkey, roasters, Cornish hens or other whole stuffed poultry from a retail store or restaurant.                  *These products are highly perishable and present a potential bacterial hazard. DO NOT USE THEM.* If you have                  purchased one of these products, *discard it or return it* to the place of purchase.
_*
Frozen, Pre-Stuffed, Uncooked or Cooked Poultry (Whole):*_ If the packaging displays a USDA or  				State mark of inspection it has been processed under federally- or state-controlled conditions and therefore  				is safe to consume. Store frozen, pre-stuffed birds in the freezer and follow the package directions for safe  				handling and cooking.

DO NOT THAW a commercially pre-stuffed frozen turkey before cooking. Follow the manufacturer's recommended cooking  				directions. A frozen stuffed turkey should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured  				with a food thermometer. 
_​


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