Cranberry-Stuffed Chicken

Photo: flickr user stu_spivack

Ingredients

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

cup dried cranberries

cup plus 2 tablespoons butter or margarine - divided

1 clv garlic -- minced

3 cups herb-seasoned stuffing croutons

1 cup corn bread stuffing or crumbled corn br

2 cups chicken broth

1 roasting chicken (5 to 7 pounds)

teaspoon salt

teaspoon pepper

teaspoon poultry seasoning

teaspoon rubbed sage

Preparation

In a skillet, saute celery, onion and cranberries in 1/2 cup of butter until tender. Stir in garlic, stuffing, and enough broth to moisten; set aside.

Place chicken with breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Combine salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and sage; sprinkle over inside and outside of chicken. Loosely stuff with cranberry mixture. Melt remaining butter; brush over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees for the chicken and 165 degrees for the stuffing, basting occasionally.

NOTE: Stuffing may be baked separately in a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.