How to Sew a Stuffed Chicken

Stuffed and sewed chicken has visual appeal after cooking.

Sewing a stuffed chicken traps heat within the bird during cooking, generating steam that keeps the interior moist as it wafts through to the surface. The steam carries the aromatic attributes of the stuffing with it, permeating the entire chicken with its essence. It also creates a neat, uniform presentation and promotes even cooking. When choosing a chicken for stuffing and sewing, select a roaster or broiler. Roasters and broilers, as opposed to fryers, are large enough to hold up to the amount of stuffing that necessitates sewing. Does this Spark an idea?

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8-inch trussing needle
24 inches of butcher’s twine

Instructions

- 1
  
  Rinse out the cavity and stuff it according to the recipe.
- 2
  
  Thread an 8-inch trussing needle with 24 inches of butcher’s twine.
- 3
  
  Insert the needle 1/2 inch from the edge of the skin on the left side of the cavity.
- 4
  
  Push the needle through the skin and insert it through the other side.
- 5
  
  Tie a knot in the ends of the twine opposite the trussing needle.
- 6
  
  Pull the remainder of twine through and insert the needle, this time on the right side of the cavity, 1/2 inch lower than the first insertion point.
- 7
  
  Pass the needle through and insert it through the left side of the skin around the cavity.
- 8
  
  Pull the string taut. The first pass you made should close the top 1/2 inch of the cavity. The needle should be on the left side of the cavity.
- 9
  
  Lower the needle another 1/2 inch and push it through again to the right side of the cavity.
- 10
  
  Pull the twine taut. The top 1 inch of the cavity should be sewn shut.
- 11
  
  Insert the needle again, pushing it through to the left side and pull the twine taut.
- 12
  
  Lower the needle another 1/2 inch and repeat. Continue until you reach the bottom of the cavity. Depending on the size of the chicken, it takes between eight and 10 passes to sew a chicken shut.