Oven-baked chicken with bread stuffing, sausage, and herbs

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken weighing 2 kg with giblets (2 parts of liver and 1 stomach, trimmed well)
• Canola oil to grease the roasting pan and chicken
• 1 and 1/4 cups coarse bread crumbs from yesterday's country bread, wheat
• 120 g chilled salted butter
• 2 tbsp. white wine
• 80 g raw pork sausages
• One and a half large onions, finely diced
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups chopped Swiss chard (about half a bunch)
• 1/3 cup chopped chives
• Zest of half a lemon

Preparation:

1. Rinse the chicken under cool running water and pat dry with paper towels. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 12 hours and up to two days.
2. Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease a roasting pan or baking dish with canola oil.
3. Prepare bread stuffing with sausage and herbs:
   
   Place the crumbled bread in a medium bowl. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the liver and gizzard with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Once melted, add the giblets and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer the giblets to a cutting board, finely chop, and add to the breadcrumbs. Remove the skillet from the heat, pour in the wine, and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Pour the liquid over the breadcrumbs and toss to combine.
   
4. Add the casingless pork sausage to the skillet and cook until browned, about 5 minutes; transfer the pork to the bowl with the bread mixture. Add 3 tablespoons butter, the onion, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper to the skillet and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft and tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Add the sage and garlic and cook for another minute. Add the Swiss chard and cook until wilted. Transfer everything from the pan, along with any juices, to the bowl with the bread mixture and toss to coat evenly. Add the chives and lemon zest and taste. Season with salt and pepper if needed.
6. Separate the skin from the chicken breast. Place the remaining 4 tablespoons of chilled butter under the skin, pressing down to distribute. Rub the chicken with a thin layer of canola oil. Sprinkle the chicken generously on all sides with 3/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Fill the cavity with the bread stuffing, and stuff the neck skin with the remaining stuffing. Place the bird in an oiled roasting pan.
7. Roast the chicken until the skin is dry and the butter is melted, about 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue roasting, basting the chicken once or twice with the rendered fat, until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (76°C) on a meat thermometer, 45 to 55 minutes.
8. Transfer the chicken to a large platter to rest for 5-10 minutes. Strain the pan juices into a bowl and skim off any fat from the surface. Pour 1/4 cup water into the pan, place it on the burner, and heat over high heat, scraping the bottom with a silicone spatula. Return the skimmed juices to the pan and simmer for 3-5 minutes to create a thin, natural gravy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Cut the chicken into pieces on a platter:
   
   Cut the wings at the joints, twist them away from the carcass, and place them on top of the chicken. Score the thighs at the joints, twist them away from the carcass, slice diagonally across the joint to separate the thigh and drumstick, and place on a platter. Thinly slice the breast; drizzle a little sauce over the white meat, being careful not to wet the crispy skin on the thighs. Slice the stuffed neck and serve with the remaining gravy in a gravy boat.