Roast Chicken with Creole Stuffing

4.8
(20)

I've used this recipe ever since I roasted my first chicken. Our whole family looks forward to it. The combination of shrimp, sausage, ham, vegetables and seasonings makes the stuffing unique and delicious.

Prep Time:
35 mins
Cook Time:
3 hrs
Total Time:
3 hrs 35 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups uncooked brown rice

  • 2 (4 ounce) links fresh Italian sausage

  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil

  • 1 cup chopped onion

  • 5 cloves garlic, minced

  • ½ cup diced green pepper

  • ½ cup diced sweet red pepper

  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon dried basil

  • ½ teaspoon sugar

  • ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

  • ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder

  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

  • teaspoon dried thyme

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided

  • 1 cup diced fully cooked ham

  • 1 cup frozen cooked small shrimp, thawed

  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

  • 1 (6 pound) roasting chicken

  • ½ teaspoon paprika

  • 1 dash Dash pepper

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook sausages in oil. Remove sausages, reserving drippings. When cool enough to handle, cut sausages in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-in. pieces; set aside. Saute onion, garlic and peppers in drippings until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the next nine ingredients and 1 teaspoon salt; cook and stir for 5 minutes. Add to the cooked rice. Stir in ham, shrimp if desired, parsley and sausage; mix lightly. Just before baking, stuff the chicken with about 3-1/2 cups stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in a greased 1-1/2-qt. baking dish; cover and refrigerate. Place chicken on a rack in a roasting pan; tie drumsticks together. Combine paprika, pepper and remaining salt; rub over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 1-1/2 hours, basting every 30 minutes. Cover and bake 1-1/2 hours longer or until juices run clear. Bake additional stuffing for the last 40 minutes of baking time, uncovering during the last 10 minutes.