Stuffed Chicken Thighs

I have to thank Esther Heithoff, Carroll, Iowa for contributing this recipe to “Holiday Delights 1992."

It is easier to make that I thought it would be, and more delicious.

The thighs boned easily with a small, sharp ‘Granny’ knife, and the amount of dressing was just right.  I used my muffin scoop, a size 24, to portion the dressing onto the thighs, and used my turkey skewers to close the thighs to hold in the dressing.  I used some leftover 3 grain dinner rolls and made them into crumbs in my food processor.  Do use the sherry if you have it, it added a lot to the bacon-flavored dressing.  The original recipe calls for 2 thighs per person, we think one was plenty.  I’ve made this several times now; a rack in a shallow pan is a good idea, as the skin drips fat into the pan.

Remember, this should be assembled just before baking; to prevent bacteria build-up.

What I especially liked about this recipe is that it bakes almost an hour, and I had plenty of time to prepare the fresh-from-the-garden sweet corn my neighbor brought us from his garden.

                                Stuffed Chicken Thighs

     1/2 Cup  Celery -- finely chopped

     1/2 Cup  Onion -- finely chopped

  3        Tablespoons  Bacon Drippings

  2        Tablespoons  Dry Sherry

     1/4 Teaspoon  Poultry Seasoning

  2        Cups  Soft Bread Crumbs

  3        Slices  Bacon -- cooked and crumbled

  8        Each  Chicken Thighs -- boned, with skin

     1/2 Teaspoon  Garlic Salt

Cook bacon.  Sauté celery and onion in 2 tbsp. of the bacon drippings, until soft, about 4 minutes; remove from heat.  Add sherry, poultry seasoning and 1/4 tsp. pepper; mix well.  Add bread crumbs and bacon; mix well.

Place chicken thighs, skin side down, on flat surface.  Spread each thigh with 2 tbsp. of the bread mixture; roll up and fasten with wooden picks.

Place thighs, seam side down, in a single layer in a shallow baking dish.  (I think a shallow pan with a rack is a good idea).  Brush lightly with remaining 1 tbsp. of bacon drippings; sprinkle with garlic salt and remaining pepper.

Bake in preheated 450° oven, 7 minutes.  Reduce oven to 350° and bake 45 minutes longer.

Preparation time:  1 1/2 hours.

Serves 4-6

Per Serving: 196 Calories; 13g Fat (62.8% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 14mg Cholesterol; 521mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.