Delicious Roast Chicken Relleno

Image by pinoykitchenette

Traditionally served during fiestas and Christmas, this dish uses chicken that has been deboned from the inside out, leaving only the bones of the drumsticks and wings intact. It takes skill and practice to debone chicken this way but in some markets the vendor will do it for you for a small fee.

Now let's prepare the ingredients for the chicken:

• 3-4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons calamansi juice
• 1 1/2 kilos chicken, deboned but still whole
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the stuffing:

• 1/4 kilo ground pork
• 1/4 kilo roasted chestnuts, shelled and chopped
• 1/4 kilo Chinese ham, chopped
• 1 140-gram can Vienna sausage, chopped
• 1/2 box pitted prunes, chopped
• 1/2 cup pickle relish
• 1/2 cup fruit cocktail, drained
• 5 eggs
• 2-3 tablespoons grated
• Edam cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened

Let's prepare the chicken:

1. In a large bowl, combine soy sauce and calamansi juice.
2. Brush all over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Matinate at least 30 minutes.

Prepare the stuffing:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the stuffing and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spoon mixture into the chicken, being careful not to overstuff the chicken. (cook any extra stuffing separately).
3. Sew the opening of the chicken until tightly sealed.
4. Rub the chicken with butter and wrap in aluminum foil.

Now let's cook:

1. Place chicken in a roasting pan and cook in preheated oven for at least 1 hour.
2. Uncover the foil and bake 30 minutes more or until skin of chicken is golden brown and chicken and stuffing are thoroughly cooked.
3. Let cool to room temperature before carving so stuffing does not fall apart. You may also chill cooked chicken briefly in the refrigerator to cool before carving.

Note: If desired, baste the uncovered chicken with pan juices every 15 minutes.

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