Stuffed Chicken Breast and Roasted Broccoli

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Photo: José Manuel Picayo Rivera
Prep Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hrs 20 mins
Servings:
4

This bone-in, whole chicken breast stays juicy in the oven, especially with stuffing tucked under the skin. If you can't find a roaster chicken breast, a 3 1/2-pound bone-in, skin-on turkey breast half works just as well -- simply increase cooking time to 1 1/2 hours.

Ingredients

  • ½ loaf Italian bread (5 ounces), torn into bite-size pieces

  • 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

  • ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage

  • ½ small onion, chopped

  • cup dried cranberries

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

  • Coarse salt and ground pepper

  • 1 roaster chicken breast (3 to 3 ½ pounds), breast bone broken (see Cook's Note below)

  • 2 heads broccoli (about 1 ½ pounds total), florets separated, stems peeled and sliced into 2-inch lengths

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine bread, celery, sage, onion, cranberries, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

  2. Working from neck end of chicken, use fingers to loosen skin from flesh, and separate skin from center breast bone with a paring knife. Generously season under and over skin with salt and pepper.

  3. Place stuffing under skin, distributing evenly. Rub skin with 1 tablespoon oil, and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breast (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

  4. While chicken is resting, toss broccoli with remaining 2 tablespoons oil on another baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once. Remove breast from bone, slice crosswise, and serve chicken with broccoli.

Cook's Notes

To help the chicken cook evenly, break the breast bone: Place chicken, skin side up, on a work surface, and push down firmly with the palm of your hand.

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