Pui Umplut cu Nuci și Mere (Roast Chicken Stuffed with Walnuts and Apples)
A festive and flavorful roast chicken dish, popular for special occasions, featuring a savory-sweet stuffing of walnuts, apples, and aromatic herbs.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1.5 kg Whole chicken
- 150 g Walnuts(chopped)
- 2 medium Apples(peeled, cored, and diced)
- 1 medium Onion(finely chopped)
- 50 g Breadcrumbs
- 50 g Butter(melted)
- 1 tbsp Fresh thyme(chopped)
- 1 tsp Fresh rosemary(chopped)
- 1.5 tsp Salt(or to taste)
- 1 tsp Black pepper(freshly ground, or to taste)
- 2 tbsp Olive oil
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F). Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
- 2
In a medium bowl, combine chopped walnuts, diced apples, chopped onion, breadcrumbs, melted butter, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Mix well to create the stuffing.
- 3
Loosely stuff the chicken cavity with the walnut and apple mixture. Do not overstuff, as the stuffing will expand slightly.
- 4
Place the stuffed chicken in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper.
- 5
Roast for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part of the thigh.
- 6
Baste the chicken with its own juices every 20-30 minutes during roasting for extra moisture and flavor.
- 7
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving. Serve with the stuffing on the side.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Ensure the chicken is thoroughly dried before roasting for crispy skin.
- ✓If the chicken skin starts to brown too quickly, loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
- ✓You can add a splash of white wine or chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan to create more pan juices.
- ✓For a richer stuffing, sauté the onion in a little butter before adding it to the mixture.
🔄 Variations
- Add dried cranberries or raisins to the stuffing for extra sweetness.
- Incorporate a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg into the stuffing for a warmer spice profile.
- Serve with roasted root vegetables like potatoes, parsnips, or carrots.