Recheio - Portuguese Stuffing

Recheio

Portuguese Stuffing

Ingredients: 

1 whole chicken (about 3lbs)

1/2 cup olive oil 
2 lbs. chourico (about 2 links)
2 celery stalks
2 lg. Vidalia onions (chopped) 
5-8 cloves garlic (chopped) 
4  day old pop seco’s (Portuguese rolls)
1 tsp. sage finely chopped
Salt & Pepper

In a large stock pot drizzle ¼ cup olive oil and sauté chopped onions until softened. Then add garlic, chourico, and celery. Sauté for a couple minutes.

Wash entire chicken with water (and lemons if desired). Put whole chicken into the same stock pot. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Add tbsp of salt and tsp of black pepper. Cover and let it come to a boil. Bring down to a simmer until chicken is cooked. About 45 minutes.

In the meantime take out a large baking tray and food processor. After chicken has been thoroughly cooked, carefully remove everything from the pot onto the tray. Set the celery aside for now. DO NOT discard the broth. Let the chicken cool enough for you to handle.

After chicken has cooled, tear apart all of the chicken and chourico into large chunks. Throw out the bones and skin. In a food processor, pulse chicken, chourico, onions, garlic. Add a little broth to help it move if needed. You will have to do this in batches. Do not over pulse. Pulse about 4 times each batch. If you like hearty chunks you can skip the food processor part. Put back processed ingredients into large tray.

Tear bread apart into small pieces and mix well into the meat in the tray. Chop celery and add as well. Along with the finely chopped sage or any herb you love.  Mix to combine. Pour some broth over everything. About a half a cup. Taste to see if it needs more salt or pepper. Drizzle ¼ cup of olive oil all over.

Bake for about 30 minutes covered with foil. Then bake uncovered for another 15 minutes or instead you can broil on low for 5-8 minutes. Keep an eye on it if broiling.