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How to Truss a Chicken

If you want to know how to truss a chicken, it is probably because you want it to keep its shape while you roast it. Chickens also need to be trussed before you cook them on a rotisserie. Trussing stops the legs and wings flopping around while cooking. Once the bird is cooked, you can remove the string and the bird will still hold its shape.

There is nothing difficult about trussing a chicken and once you have done it once, you will remember how to do it in future. To truss a chicken, you will need a chicken, a cutting board, and some string.

Step-by-Step Guide to Chicken Trussing

Place the chicken on the cutting board, breast side up with the tail facing you. Put the string under the middle of the back, making sure the ends are even. Draw the string up on the sides of the bird, gently encircling the wings. Pull the string towards you to draw the wings flat against the sides of the bird.

Cross the strings at the base point of the breast of the bird. Wrap the string around each drumstick, pulling it tight enough so that the chicken legs cross. Pick up the tail end and wrap a string around the tail, making sure you pull it tightly enough to cover the cavity. Knot the string. Place the chicken, breast up, and bring the ends of the string round to the chicken front. Tie a knot and trim off any excess string.

You can truss a chicken, whether or not it is stuffed. If you do not truss the chicken properly, the wings might hit the burners in a small rotisserie so make sure you have trussed it tightly enough.

How to Dress a Chicken

Chicken dressings vary but you can make a great one by combining a cup of chopped apples, half a cup of chopped onion, half a cup of chopped celery, ˝ tablespoon each of sage and thyme and two bay leaves and stuffing the chicken with it. Use a hard roll to plug the opening and cook. It is safe to make chicken dressing inside the bird rather than separately as long as you are vigilant about making sure the chicken is cooked properly before serving it.

How to Make Stuffed Chicken Breast

Fry a chopped onion, two slices of chopped leg ham, and a chopped red bell pepper in a tablespoon of olive oil for five minutes. Add ⅓ of a cup of basil pesto and two tablespoons of pitted, black olives. Cut a deep pocket in the thick part of four chicken breasts and fill each one with a quarter of the mixture.

Secure the openings with toothpicks and dust with half a cup of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken fillets in olive oil for about fifteen minutes, then slice each breast into three pieces and serve with steamed vegetables or salad.

You can change this stuffed chicken breast recipe if you like but the basic principle is the same. Choose your ingredients, cut a pocket in the thickest part of the breast, close it, and sauté the chicken in olive oil for fifteen minutes. Stuffed chicken breast is one of those recipes that seems complicated but is actually really easy.