How to Cook Baked Chicken With Collard Greens

Collard greens are a common ingredient in many Southern recipes.

Popular in Southern cooking, collard greens are a member of the family of cruciferous vegetables and available year-round in most areas. High in fiber and vitamin C, the dark leafy green that is often added to soups and stews. Collard greens are also served as a side dish and pair well with meat, poultry and fish. One simple and tasty way to prepare the vegetable is to cook baked chicken stuffed with collard greens.

Things You'll Need

• 2 pounds collard greens
• Colander
• Eight slices bacon
• Skillet
• Paper towels
• 1/2-cup water
• One cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• Mixing bowl
• 4-pound whole roasting chicken
• Roasting bag
• Roasting pan
• Meat thermometer

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Open the roasting bag and set the bag in the roasting pan.

2. Rinse the collard greens in the sink under cool tap water. Set the greens in the colander to drain.

3. Place the bacon in the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan with a fork, and place the bacon on paper towels to drain.

4. Mix the dressing for the greens by adding 1/2-cup water, 1 cup chopped onion, 2 tsp. salt, 2 tsp. crushed red pepper to a mixing bowl. Crumble the bacon into the bowl.

5. Break the collard greens into approximately 6-inch pieces with your hands and add the greens to the bowl with the dressing. Mix the greens with your hands until the greens are well coated with the dressing.

6. Rinse the roasting chicken thoroughly, inside and out, in the sink. Stuff the dressed collard greens into the body cavity of the chicken.

7. Place the stuffed chicken into the roasting bag. Insert the meat thermometer into the breast area of the chicken, halfway between the breastbone and the skin of the breast. Seal the bag with the provided plastic tie.

8. Put the roasting pan on the center rack in the oven and cook the chicken until the thermometer reaches 165 degrees F.

9. Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving.