Chicken Relleno
Ingredients
1 chicken (about 3 lbs.)
Salt and pepper (approx. to taste)
1 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 pound ground pork
1/4 pound lean bacon, chopped or coarsely ground
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 egg
1 carrot, cooked and cut julienne, or 1/2 cup green peas, cooked
3 ounces cooked ham, cut julienne
2 Spanish chorizo de Bilbao or pepperoni, approx. 5 ounces
2 hard-cooked eggs, cut in halves
1 to 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Bone chicken for stuffing, leaving wing and drumstick bones intact. Rub
chicken with salt and pepper to taste, soy sauce and lemon juice. Let
stand at least 30 minutes - Refrigerate if longer.
Combine ground pork, bacon, cheese, raisins, pickle relish and egg. Mix
well. Place chicken on board, skin side down. Place half of stuffing in
boned cavity of chicken. Arrange carrot and ham strips, sausage and egg
halves in rows on top of pork mixture. Cover with remaining mixture,
stuffing boned thighs.
Bring 2 cut sides of chicken together. Fasten edges at one-inch
intervals with wood picks or skewers, then lace with string. Turn bird
over and mold it back to resemble original shape. Tie legs with string
and tuck wings akimbo. Place on rack in roasting pan and cover with
foil. Bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes and remove foil. Continue baking
additional 1 hour or more until golden brown, basting with melted
butter. Collect drippings, if desired, and make flour gravy.
Remove skewers and string. Serve in platter garnish as
desired with vegetables or fruit. Carve into 1/2-inch-thick diagonal or
crosswise slices, starting from wing sides. Serves 10 to 12 people.
