RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Christmas Roasted Whole Chicken Stuffed With Oranges, Bulgur, and Rosemary

Turkey may be the first fowl to come to mind when pondering the main course during a holiday meal. After all, it might seem odd to sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner table and see chicken in place of the traditional turkey. Though turkey may never relinquish its spot as the go-to fowl for Thanksgiving dinner, holiday celebrations in December offer home cooks a little more leeway in regard to the main course. For those who are fond of fowl but prefer to eat turkey just once a year, this recipe for Christmas Roasted Whole Chicken Stuffed With Oranges, Bulgur and Rosemary from Lines+Angles can bring something different to the holiday dinner table this year.

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat

1 2/3 cups boiling water

1 whole chicken, 3 pounds, trimmed with giblets removed

2 small white onions, cut into wedges

1 large orange, cut into wedges

4 Tablespoons butter, softened

2 to 3 rosemary sprigs, roughly torn

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Truss the chicken with butcher’s twine; you can also have your butcher do this, or buy a pre-trussed chicken instead.

2. Place the bulgur wheat in a heatproof bowl. Cover with the boiling water, stir once, and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit for 30 minutes until the wheat is tender and has absorbed the water.

3. Sit the chicken in a large roasting pan that’s been lined with parchment paper. Scatter the onion and orange wedges around the chicken.

4. Rub the top and sides of the chicken with the softened butter and season with plenty of salt and pepper, including the cavity.

5. Fluff the bulgur wheat with a fork before stuffing it into the main cavity of the chicken. Scatter the rosemary over the chicken.

6. Roast for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced; it should register at least 175 F on a meat thermometer.

7. Remove from the oven and cover loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil. Leave to rest for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving.