Chicken Stuffed with Rice and Mushrooms

Name: Chicken Stuffed with Rice and Mushrooms
Ingredients: 1 chicken (≈1.5 kg); 200 g cremini mushrooms; 100 g rice (long-grain preferred); 150 g onion; 1 tbsp paprika (level, not heaping); salt; pepper; vegetable oil

A delicious, hearty oven-roasted chicken dish — a foolproof option for a satisfying dinner.
I used a wonderful spice — dried paprika (mild, not hot) — to rub the chicken and give it a beautiful, golden-brown crust. For the stuffing, I used a mixture of long-grain rice (basmati), cremini mushrooms, and sautéed onion. Because the stuffing finishes cooking inside the chicken, it soaks up all the juices and comes out incredibly tender and fluffy.
My favorite way to roast chicken is in an oven roasting bag. The chicken turns out very soft and tender on the inside while still getting a gorgeous crust on top (to achieve this, simply open or cut the bag during the last stretch of cooking and return it to the oven). Roasting in a bag eliminates the risk of the outside drying out before the inside is fully cooked — which is especially important with a larger bird. If you don't have a roasting bag, you can cover the bird tightly with foil, though I really encourage you to try the bag method.

Ingredients:

1 chicken (≈1.5 kg)
200 g cremini mushrooms
100 g rice (long-grain preferred)
150 g onion
1 tbsp paprika (level, not heaping)
salt
pepper
vegetable oil

How to cook chicken stuffed with rice and mushrooms

In a small bowl, mix together the paprika, salt, pepper, and 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Rub the mixture thoroughly over the chicken, inside and out. Let it marinate for 1–2 hours (or longer, but refrigerate it if marinating for an extended time).

Prepare the stuffing. Peel the onion and slice it into thin half-rings.

Cut the cremini mushrooms into pieces.

Add the rice to a cup of water (use twice as much water as rice), add salt, and cook over low heat until half-done (about 10 minutes after the water comes to a boil).

Heat a little vegetable oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté for 5–10 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer the onion to a plate.

Add the cremini mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until all the released liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper at the end.

Add the sautéed onion and the par-cooked rice to the mushrooms.

Stir to combine and adjust salt as needed.

Loosely stuff the chicken with the filling. Secure the opening with toothpicks.

Tie the chicken legs together (I used a strip cut from the edge of the roasting bag, but kitchen twine or plain cotton string works fine too).

Tie off one end of the roasting bag, place the chicken inside, and tie off the other end. Place the chicken in a large baking dish or simply on a rimmed baking sheet. Poke a few holes in the top of the bag with a toothpick to allow steam to escape (unless the bag manufacturer has already included ventilation holes).