Yankee Girl's Southern Roast Chicken With Cornbread Stuffing

Preheat oven to 350.

Rinse chicken, remove excess fat from around the cavity and pat dry.

Rub inside and outside of chicken with one teaspoon Old Bay seasoning and set aside.

Spread corn bread pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until they dry out a bit – not much longer than that.

Combine onion, celery, fresh herbs, pepper, olive oil and 1 teaspoon of the Old Bay seasoning in a mixing bowl.

When the cornbread crumbs are toasted enough, dump the hot bread into the celery onion mixture and combine.

Place the chicken in the bottom of a small roasting pan that has a cover.

Stuff the cavity and the sides of the chicken with the stuffing – you need to separate the skin a bit from the sides to get the stuffing in next to the leg/thigh pieces – also stuff some into the neck cavity.

Tie the legs together to hold the stuffing in with kitchen twine.

Drizzle the chicken with oil, sprinkle with salt and a little more Old Bay if you like.

Cover the pan and roast at 350 for about 1 and 1/2 hours, then uncover, insert a thermometer close to the leg/thigh joint without touching the bone- you're looking for it to read 180 degrees- it will be very close at this point.

Roast a little longer uncovered until chicken is nicely browned and the thermometer reads 180 degrees.

Allow the chicken to rest about 10 to 15 minutes before carving- this step keeps it juicy.

Enjoy.