Christmas Countdown 8 : Chicken

from http://www.postscriptcomic.com

For the last few days I have been sleeping in a bedroom decorated with prints of the Eiffel Tower, so in the Christmas Countdown, I just had to include the three French hens - hence the delightful vintage print. There was a time, at least in my memory, when roast chicken was a dish for special occasions and the only poultry served for Christmas dinner.

I still love roast chicken with roast vegetables, with stuffing and gravy and am happy with it for Christmas even though my husband makes the best stuffed turkey! I think that in more recent times, roast chicken has become less festive and more a family dinner favourite. What is your favourite poultry for Christmas?

roast turkey from taste.com.au

roast goose from taste.com.au

These days, the humble "chook" has been overshadowed by Christmas turkey or even duck or goose. However, in Japan, chicken remains the top Christmas choice, but alas, the Japanese have made KFC chicken their Christmas treat. It is so popular that at Christmas time in Japan, you often have to place your order for the fast food chicken about a fortnight ahead! Hard to believe, because to me nothing about KFC chicken reminds me of Christmas - sorry! I will still be roasting my chicken in my own oven at home, but I have added a recipe for a really delicious stuffing which will make the everyday roast chicken the "hero" of the Christmas menu.

Roast chicken with cranberry and pistachio stuffing... from taste.com.au

Ingredients

2 (about 1.5kg each) whole fresh chickens
2 teaspoons olive oil
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh continental parsley

Pistachio & cranberry stuffing

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small brown onions, halved, finely chopped
75g (1/2 cup) Craisins (dried cranberries), finely chopped
55g (1/3 cup) unsalted pistachio kernels, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
245g (3 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh continental parsley

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