Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes and Olives

Here's another strange sounding dish. Who ever heard of stuffing a chicken with potatoes and green olives. This may have been a peasant dish in Italy where it had its origens. This is another clever recipe from The Frugal Gourmet.

3 or 4 medium new potatoes, unpeeled, cooked and cubed
8 to 10 T. stuffed green olives
1 T. Fresh rosemary
3 to 4 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 canned anchovies, mashed or anchovy paste
(anchovies enhance other flavors without overpowering with their own taste which some people find objectionable)
1 T. chopped capers, optional but they add alot to the dish
3 T. olive oil (pure olive oil has a higher smoke point then virgin olive oil and it's a lot cheaper, so it is preferred here.)
kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 3 to 4 pound chicken
Bell's seasoning


Place the potatoes in a pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes

After the potatoes have cooled, place all the ingredients exept the chicken and Bell's seasoning in a large bowl. Toss the ingredients together .

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and some Bell's seasoning. stuff the chicken loosely and place in a roasting pan. Add the remaining stuffing around the chicken. It will pick up flavor from the juices.

Roast at 350 degrees for about 1 hour until an instant read thermometer placed in the breast reads 175 degrees and the thigh reads about 165 degrees.

You must let the chicken rest on a carving board for at least 5 to 10 minutes so that the juices can be redistribued in the bird. If you carve the bird or any other meat immediately, the juices will run out on the board rather than keeping the meat moist.