This recipe is based on one from The Foods of the Greek Islands, by Aglaia Kremezi, and the accomplishment of this was a group effort between Mark, Gary, and myself. Gary stuffed the chicken, since both Mark and I are a touch, er, squeamish about Raw Meat. We had some small problems with the oven temperature, but this recipe turned out tender and delicious at the end, even if it did play havoc with the meal planning. A sundried tomato, garlic, feta, and fresh tomato bruschetta was a tasty way of using our extra ingredients. Serve with a big green salad.

Chicken Stuffed with Tomatoes and Feta

1 4-pound chicken [1]
1 lemon, halved
Slat and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup chopped canned tomatoes, drained [2]
1/4 cup chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes [3]
1 cup crumbled or diced feta cheese [4]
1/3 cup olive oil [5]
4-6 garlic cloves, coarsley chopped [6]
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes [7]
1 cup sweet red wine [8]
2 pounds medium new potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch cubes

Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare chicken for roasting by rubbing it with the cut sides of the lemon. Salt very lightly and sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper. Place the chicken inside a roasting pan that holds it snugly.

In a bowl, mix the feta, sun-dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, oregano, and crushed red pepper. Stuff the chicken cavity with the tomato mixture and close it with toothpicks. Place the chicken breast-side down back in the roasting pan.

Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, and pour the wine over the chicken. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, reduce oven temperature to 375F and roast for another 20 minutes.

Place the potatoes in a single layer in a roasting pan. Drizzle with remaining oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Pour the juices from the chicken over the potatoes and toss well. Place the chicken breast side up on the top of the potatoes and roast for 40 minutes more. [9] The potatoes should be tender and crusty on top.

Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and reduce slightly, and serve the reduction on the side. Let the chicken sit for a few minutes before carving. [10]


[1] A free-range chicken is more flavorful, but we found that a regular chicken worked quite well.
[2] Fresh tomatoes in the same quantity also work, but when we made this recipe, goodfresh tomatoes were a touch hard to find.
[3] Sun-dried tomatoes were added by Aglaia Kremezi for extra flavor, but be careful to chop well.
[4] Sheep's milk (or goat's milk) feta is harder to find, but is well worth it for the taste.
[5] The olive oil can be extra-virgin or not. We used not.
[6] Our garlic usage was both higher and less "coarsley chopped" and more "wedged". Giant pieces of garlic were wonderful.
[7] If you can find Aleppo pepper flakes, use them instead.
[8] Our sweet red wine was Carlo Rossi. Yay, Carlo.
[9] Use a meat thermometer to judge the doneness of the chicken (170F is bacteria-killin' good). The juices from the thigh should run clear.
[10] Letting meat sit before carving keeps more of the moist juices in.

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