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Scary Sides: Oregano Cumin Pumpkin Stuffing

Source of Recipe

perfectentertaining.com


Recipe Introduction

"This unique stuffing is fabulous with chicken, turkey, squash, or even when used to stuff a pumpkin. It is marvelous in my Oregano Cumin Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Pumpkin. You can use any day old bread in this recipe, but my favorites are pumpernickel or a great rustic French bread. Cornbread is also fantastic in this stuffing, or a mixture of French bread and cornbread. Yummy! "

List of Ingredients

1 egg
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 coarsely chopped carrots
2 coarsely chopped celery stalks
1 chopped tart apple
2 1/2 cups cubed day old bread


Recipe

In a large bowl beat the egg. Add the chicken stock, melted butter, pumpkin puree, and spices. Mix well until smooth. Add the carrots, celery, and apple. Toss lightly. Add the bread cubes and toss until the bread is thoroughly coated in the pumpkin mixture. Stuff a chicken as desired, or else place in a well greased casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

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Oregano Cumin Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Pumpkin


This is a fantastic main course for a fabulous fall feast or an elegant Halloween meal. Long as the name may be, it really isn't any more complicated than a normal stuffed roast chicken recipe. This recipe is also excellent with a mixture of squash, sweet potatoes, and/or carrots in addition to or in place of the pumpkin. This also makes a fantastic roast turkey, which I will be sharing in my Thanksgiving recipe pages once I sort out the specifics and try it a time or two. I like this chicken stuffed with Oregano Cumin Pumpkin Stuffing or even better just served with the stuffing on the side. The combination of pumpkin, oregano, and cumin is really unique and very tasty! If you have fresh oregano, feel free to use 3 tablespoons of finely minced oregano in place of the ground oregano.

2 pound small pie pumpkin
10 tablespoons softened butter, divided
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 3 1/2 pound roasting chicken

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a roasting rack and large roasting pan. Peel the pumpkin and remove all of the seeds. Chop the pumpkin into 3/4 inch chunks and set aside. Reserve two tablespoons butter and mix the 8 tablespoons butter with the cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth. Gently loosen the skin over the chicken breast and spread about 5 tablespoons of the butter mixture in between the skin and breast meat to keep it moist while baking. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and brush generously over the chicken skin. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter spice mixture. Toss the melted spice butter with the chopped pumpkin. Place the pumpkin in the bottom of the roasting pan. Place the rack in the pan and place the chicken breast side up on the rack. Roast for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken onto one side. Roast for an additional 20 minutes, then flip the chicken over onto the other side. Roast for 20 minutes more, then turn the chicken breast side up. Continue to roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees, about 15-20 minutes more. Remove the chicken from the oven and tent with foil. Let sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken and carve. Serve with the pumpkin.