Cheese and Herb Stuffed Chicken

Oct 10 2013

This is not the traditional stuffed chicken. The cream cheese and herbs were stuffed under the skin. I got the idea from a Kraft recipe and changed it some; it called for rosemary.

I softened 6 oz. of cream cheese to room temp. and added 1 teaspoon of Italian herb mix, 1 teaspoon of dried garlic flakes and a few grinds of 4 pepper blend. I separated the skin from the breast using a wooden spoon handle to get down to the thighs and legs. I stuffed half the cheese mix under each side.

I used a long handled ice tea spoon to get a spoonful back as far as I could and then worked it under the leg on each side with my fingers pressing on the outside of the skin. The rest went under the breast skin.

I cut a lemon in half and coated one with the Italian herbs and the other with the dried garlic. They went into the cavity and I trussed the legs with a silicone rubber band. I placed the chicken on a wire rack in a pan and in the fridge to air dry for 3 hours.

I pre heated my Traeger to 325 deg. placed the bird on some sliced onions in a foil pan rubbed on a light coat of Hellman’s mayonnaise and added more Italian herb mix then into the smoker. It took 2 hours to get to 170 deg. breast temp.

I tented the chicken with foil while I heated up some left over parmesan noodles and peas. I served my wife a nice slice of the breast and I had some breast and a leg. It tasted good, chicken was very moist. I poured the fat off the pan juices and had some over mine. My wife said it tasted like chicken divan.

The Kraft recipe had some roasted potatoes with the pan juices over. That sounded good but I had left overs that needed used up.

Cheese and herbs

Separating the skin

Lemons for the cavity

Ready for the smoker

All done

My Plate