Ricotta Stuffed Chicken

This ricotta stuffed chicken recipe is based on a recipe from a Weber grilling cookbook, and as such requires that you butterfly the chicken (makes it easier to grill).

Although the recipe is designed for grilling, it can easily be done in the oven. The ricotta cheese and the herbs make for a truly tasty chicken, filling, but not too rich.

To butterfly a chicken, you cut it open on one side, spread open the chicken and lay it flat. The benefits of laying the chicken out flat is that it makes it easier to grill and faster to roast. (See the Serious Eats guide and video to spatchcocking a chicken.)

2 Fry the bean threads in hot oil: Put 3/4 inch of high smoke point cooking oil (such as canola oil or peanut oil) into a small saucepan. Heat on high heat until shimmering.

Take one bunch of the dried bean threads and gently break them up a bit. Test the oil by putting one bean thread into the oil. If the oil is hot enough, the bean thread will almost immediately sizzle and puff up. That’s when you know the oil is hot enough.

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Traditionally butterflying a chicken is done by cutting the chicken open along the backbone, and then removing the backbone and tail.

But if you haven’t the faintest idea what you are doing (“Uh, dad, I think we just cut the chicken open on the breast side”), it will still work, as long as you can flatten out the chicken.

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole roasting chicken, 4 to 5 lbs.

Stuffing:

• 12 oz. ricotta cheese
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large clove garlic, minced

Rub:

• Salt
• Olive oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

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