Roasted Stuffed Chicken Parcels

These roasted stuffed chicken parcels are made with skin-on, boneless chicken thighs, filled with buttery bread dressing and roasted until golden and crispy. 

A couple of years back, I popped into my nearby Island butcher just to see what was fresh and on special. I ended up buying a few of his lovely meaty pork sausages but something else in the display case caught my eye.

I had to lean in for a closer look and to read the price label because I had never seen anything quite like it before. Turned out to be stuffed chicken parcels, looking pretty much like the ones I’ve made here. No idea what their stuffing was like because I didn’t buy any but they were so cute that I knew I had to give them a try myself. 

Roasted Stuffed Chicken Parcels

I stuffed mine with half of my classic buttery bread dressing recipe, which I’ve shared the method for again here. If you need photos of the process, you can find those by clicking here. Use the ingredient amounts given below though which are perfect for stuffing about five chicken thighs. 

Ingredients

For the stuffing:

1/2 loaf quality sandwich bread with soft crusts (about 10 oz or 280g)

1/4 cup or 57g butter

1 onion, diced

2 slim stalks celery, de-stringed and diced finely

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup or 120ml chicken stock (made from stock cube is fine!)

1 tablespoon salt-free poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the chicken: 

5 chicken thighs, deboned, skin on

fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

cayenne pepper, optional

trussing string

Olive oil for the roasting pan

Method

For photos of the stuffing method, click here.

Cube the bread and put it in a large mixing bowl.

Put the butter in a large pan with the chopped onion and celery.

Melt the butter over medium heat and cook until the onions and celery are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add a good pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper, along with the cayenne and poultry seasoning.

Pour the buttery celery and onions over the bread cubes in the mixing bowl. Use two spoons like salad tongs to toss and combine.

Sprinkle on the parsley. Add the stock and toss again to combine.

Check for seasoning and stir in more salt and pepper as needed. Depending on the saltiness of your stock, you might not need much (or any) salt.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Note: I found it impossible to find boneless chicken thighs with the skin still on here so I had to debone them myself. If you find yourself in the same position, you need a sharp knife, but it’s easy. Click here to find deboning thigh instructions on Serious Eats. Do not remove the skin! 

Lay the chicken thighs out skin side down. Season them with a sprinkling of salt, black pepper and cayenne, if using. Divide the stuffing between the thighs.

Fold the chicken thigh meat and skin over to enclose the stuffing. Turn the parcels over and secure with trussing string. 

Drizzle a little olive oil in your roasting pan and tuck the parcels in. Season the outside with a sprinkle of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper. Add a sprinkle of cayenne, if desired. 

Roast in your preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes or until the skin is a lovely golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. 

Remove the trussing string and serve hot. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 18th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter R. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the R recipes below:

• Ginger Grilled Chicken and Radishes from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Homemade Ricotta Cheese from Sneha’s Recipe
• Migliaccio (Italian Ricotta and Semolina Cake) from A Messy Kitchen
• Mild Curry Chicken Salad with Diced Red Apples from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Mysore Rasam from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Ricotta Basil Rolls from Magical Ingredients
• Roasted Stuffed Chicken Parcels from Food Lust People Love
• Spicy Slaw with Red Cabbage and Mango from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Crumb Topping from Blogghetti

Here are my posts for the 2026 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Ají de Cerdo aka Peruvian Pork Stew

B: Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing 

C. Traditional Cullen Skink 

D. Coconut Cream Date Caramel 

E. Edamame Summer Salad 

F. Lamb Feta Mint Patties 

G. Ricotta Gnocchi à la Poêle 

H. Hazelnut Vodka 

I. Italian Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers - this post!

J. Jägersuppe - Hunter's Soup 

K. Easy Chicken Kapama 

L. Easy Lamb Shoulder Roast 

M. Miso Chocolate Cookies 

N. Duck Egg Narjissiya 

O. Marinated Apéro Olives

P. Bacon and Pork Patties 

Q. Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers 

R. Roasted Stuffed Chicken Parcels - this post!

To check out the Alphabet Challenges for 2024 and 2025, click here.

Pin these Roasted Stuffed Chicken Parcels!

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Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers

These baked quail egg XO sauce appetizers are savory, rich and delicious, super easy to make and they are pretty too! Make two, three or as many as you need! 

When I made homemade XO sauce last year, I was trying to think of creative ways to use it in non-traditional recipes. I just happened to have a couple fresh quail eggs on hand at the time, along with a baguette. This was just one result!

Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers

My husband and I each enjoyed one as a small appetizer and, frankly, wished we had more! Next time I make them, I’ll use a muffin pan and make a few. I suggest you do the same. 

Ingredients

For each appetizer:

Butter or olive oil for greasing a ramekin or muffin pan

1 slice baguette

2 tablespoons XO sauce (homemade from this recipe or store bought)

1 raw quail egg

For garnish: chopped chives

Method

Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C and grease your ramekins or muffin pan with olive oil or butter.

Cut your baguette in thick slices.

Place one slice of baguette in each ramekin or muffin cup. Top with the XO sauce, spread around to cover the baguette. Make an indentation in the middle to help cradle the yolk.

Carefully cut the top off the quail egg shell.

Tip it out onto the XO sauce.

Bake in your preheated oven for 3-6 minutes, checking at 3 minutes and watching closely until the whites are just set and the yolks reach your desired doneness. 

Sprinkle on the chopped chives for garnish. 

We ate these with small spoons to cut the bread base and scoop. So good! 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 17th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter Q. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the Q recipes below:

• Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers from Food Lust People Love
• Cauliflower, Onion, and Pancetta Quiche from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Fresh Corn Quiche from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Fresh Summer Corn & Zucchini Sausage Quiche from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Jalapeño Popper Quesadillas from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Mughlai Paneer Qorma from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Qabuli Biryani from Sneha’s Recipe
• Quatre Quarts from Culinary Cam
• Queen Elizabeth Cake from A Messy Kitchen
• Western Omelette Quiche from Blogghetti

Here are my posts for the 2026 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Ají de Cerdo aka Peruvian Pork Stew

B: Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing 

C. Traditional Cullen Skink 

D. Coconut Cream Date Caramel 

E. Edamame Summer Salad 

F. Lamb Feta Mint Patties 

G. Ricotta Gnocchi à la Poêle 

H. Hazelnut Vodka 

I. Italian Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers - this post!

J. Jägersuppe - Hunter's Soup 

K. Easy Chicken Kapama 

L. Easy Lamb Shoulder Roast 

M. Miso Chocolate Cookies 

N. Duck Egg Narjissiya 

O. Marinated Apéro Olives

P. Bacon and Pork Patties 

Q. Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers - this post!

To check out the Alphabet Challenges for 2024 and 2025, click here.

Pin these Baked Quail Egg XO Sauce Appetizers!

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Nebraska Runzas #BreadBakers

A fluffy bun and a savory filling of ground beef, chopped cabbage and onion are the hallmarks of classic Nebraska runzas, a great midwestern snack. 

Way back in May of 2016, I was researching stuffed bun recipes for a Bread Bakers post in August and came across one for Nebraska runzas. It was originally published in the Washington Post, written by a food writer named Tim Carman who grew up in Nebraska.

While I didn't save the story he shared with the recipe, apparently his mom's homemade runzas were a breakthrough in the food battles the two of them were having. Unfortunately, the link no longer contains the recipe, no less the story, so I'm glad I copied and pasted that! 

I ended up not making the runzas 10 years ago, sharing instead some tasty cheese-stuffed-peppadew stuffed buns of my own devise. This time, I decided the Nebraska runzas had waited long enough! 

Nebraska Runzas

These stuffed buns don’t traditionally have any spice beyond salt and black pepper  in the filling but, as a Cajun person, I felt moved to sprinkle in some cayenne. It added a lovely little kick. Leave it out if you want to go old-school Nebraskan.

Ingredients

For the dough:

3⁄4 teaspoon active dry yeast

1⁄4 cup or 60ml warm water, plus 1/3 cup or 90ml room-temperature water 1/3 cup or 90ml milk

1⁄4 cup or 48g vegetable shortening

3 1⁄4 cups or 406g flour, plus more as needed for kneading

1 tablespoon sugar

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

Canola or other light oil, for greasing the proofing bowl

Milk for brushing on before baking

For the filling:

1.1 lb or 500g lean ground beef

Olive oil

1 small onion, cut into small dice, about 1 cup (about 125g)

2 1⁄2 cups chopped green cabbage (from 1⁄4 large head) (about 170g) 

3⁄4 teaspoon salt

Several generous grinds black pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne, optional

Method

Combine the yeast and the 1/4 cup or 60ml of warm water in small bowl or measuring vessel, adding a pinch of the sugar and stirring until the yeast has dissolved.

Combine the 1/3 cup or 90ml of the room-temperature water, the milk and shortening in a small saucepan; heat over low heat until the shortening has liquefied but the temperature of the mixture is no greater than 130°F or 54°C.

Add in the rest of the sugar and the salt and stir till dissolved.

(If during that time the yeast mixture hasn’t bubbled at all, your yeast might be dead. So dump it out and start over.)

Combine 1 cup or 125g of the flour, in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeasty liquid, the warm milk mixture and the egg to the mixer bowl.

Beat on medium-low speed until well incorporated. Stop to scrape down the bowl and beaters; then, on medium-low speed, gradually add the rest of the flour, beating to form a wet dough.

Change over to the dough-hook attachment and knead in your stand mixer or on a floured surface, adding a little extra flour, if needed, until you form a dough that’s smooth and elastic and a still a bit tacky.

Lightly grease a proofing bowl with oil, then place the dough in it. Cover with a damp towel or cling film and leave to rise in a draft-free spot for 1 to 2 hours or until the dough has about doubled in size. 

Meanwhile, make the filling. Fry the ground beef with a drizzle of olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat. Cook until you get a few well browned crunchy bits, breaking up the meat to a crumbly consistency as it cooks.

Stir in the onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until translucent.

Add in the cabbage. 

Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring to incorporate, until the cabbage has softened. Season with the salt, black pepper and cayenne, if using. Stir well and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool.

Uncover and punch down the dough. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions (it’s good to use a kitchen scale for this) and roll them into balls. Divide your filling into 12 equal portions. (A scale is handy here as well!) These are my first six.

Working with one at a time on the floured work surface, roll out each portion of dough to your best approximation of a 5-inch or 12.5cm square, – NOT ROUND. A round runza is how they are made in Kansas, not Nebraska! 

Spoon one portion of the filling into the center of each piece. Dampen the edges with water.

Fold the sides in. 

Then fold the top and bottom together and pinch to seal the seams, making your requisite rectangle.

Preheat the oven to 375°F or 190°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner. 

Place seam-side down on the lined baking sheet. I had to do mine in two batches since I was baking in a small oven. Our new kitchen is meant to be ready by this weekend though. 🤞

Let the runzas rise for 20 minutes then brush them with a little milk.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy! 

It's the second Tuesday of the month so, as mentioned above, it's time for my Bread Bakers to share their recipes. As you might have surmised, the theme is stuffed buns! Many thanks to our host, Radha of Magical Ingredients. Check out the links below.

• Custard Buns from A Messy Kitchen
• Ham and Cheese Stuffed Buns from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Hot Dog Flower Buns from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Nebraska Runzas from Food Lust People Love
• Salted Caramel Apple Wreath from Magical Ingredients
• Small Batch Nebraska Runzas from Sneha’s Recipe

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

Pin these Nebraska Runzas!

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Bacon and Pork Patties

Flavorful and tender, these delicious bacon and pork patties are simple to make and are a very tasty alternative to the more traditional beef burger. 

I’ve mentioned more than a few times in this space, my love of Costco's bacon crumbles. There was a little panic on my part a couple of years ago when I thought they had been discontinued because I couldn’t find them in any of my nearby stores. I managed to order some online so a crisis was averted but they are, thank goodness, back in stock again. 

In most cases, I fry the bacon crumbles a little bit so they are nice and crispy before adding them to a recipe but for these bacon and pork patties, the little bit of extra fat helps keep the patties tender and moist. Also, no one really wants crunchy bits in a patty. 

This is also why I blend the onion with the egg. Do I like slices of onion on a burger? Absolutely! Do I want even small chunks of raw onion in my patties? I do not, thank you very much.

Bacon and Pork Patties

As you can see from the ingredients list, I don’t add any salt to the mixture because the bacon crumbles are a bit salty and that’s enough for us. If you are unsure, fry a teaspoon or so of the mixture and give it a taste before forming the patties. You can add salt then if needed.

Ingredients

1 lb or 450g ground pork

1 cup, firmly packed, or 120g bacon crumbles

1 small onion (about 125g)

1 egg

A few generous grinds of black pepper

olive oil

Method

Peel the onion and cut it into chunks. Use a hand blender or food processor to blend the onion and egg until liquidized. 

Put the ground pork and bacon in a large bowl. Add the pureed egg/onion mix and some generous grinds of fresh black pepper. 

Mix the lot together thoroughly. Divide the meat into four even pieces, then form these into patties. Mine each weighed 170g or 6 oz.

To cook them, heat a skillet over a high flame and drizzle in a little olive oil. Cook the patties for several minutes on each side, until they are cooked through and nicely browned. 

Serve on a hamburger bun, or if you want to get fancy, you can make my large cheddar herb scones instead. That's how I served mine! 

These bacon and pork patties would also be great served with a salad or accompanied by some vegetables. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 16th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter P. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the P recipes below:

• Airy Focaccia with Pecorino Romano and Herbs from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Bacon and Pork Patties from Food Lust People Love
• Italian Baked Pork Chops from Blogghetti
• Orange Posset from Culinary Cam
• Paloma Cocktail from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Panchmel Dal from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Paneer Pudinawale (Cottage Cheese in Mint Sauce) from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Peach and Carrot Streusel Muffins from A Messy Kitchen
• Piña Colada Rolls from Magical Ingredients
• Ribbon Pakoda/Ola Pakoda from Sneha’s Recipe
• Southwestern Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Yogurt Bowl Popsicles from A Day in the Life on the Farm

Here are my posts for the 2026 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Ají de Cerdo aka Peruvian Pork Stew

B: Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing 

C. Traditional Cullen Skink 

D. Coconut Cream Date Caramel 

E. Edamame Summer Salad 

F. Lamb Feta Mint Patties 

G. Ricotta Gnocchi à la Poêle 

H. Hazelnut Vodka 

I. Italian Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers - this post!

J. Jägersuppe - Hunter's Soup 

K. Easy Chicken Kapama 

L. Easy Lamb Shoulder Roast 

M. Miso Chocolate Cookies 

N. Duck Egg Narjissiya 

O. Marinated Apéro Olives

P. Bacon and Pork Patties - this post!

To check out the Alphabet Challenges for 2024 and 2025, click here.

Pin these Bacon and Pork Patties!

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Marinated Apéro Olives

A little spicy and full of flavor from garlic, lemon zest and herbs, these marinated apéro olives are perfect for serving with cocktails, beer and wine.

If you read my post from last Sunday, you saw the inspiration for this recipe in the photo of our shopping when we were in France last month. My husband chose some mixed marinated olives at a local market because when you are in France, you have to have l’apéro, short for l'apéritif - an aperitif, a drink that is meant to spark the appetite - in the evening. 

L'apéro is a daily tradition there and includes getting together for drinks and nibbles with friends and family to unwind at the end of each day, usually taking place between 5-7 p.m. The supermarkets all have generous sections devoted to l’apéro, with cold cuts, sausages, crackers, cheese cubes, olives, pickles and other snacky food. One of my favorite areas of some of the best supermarkets in the world.

Marinated Apéro Olives

I’ve given the amounts of olives I used for this below but you can certainly mix and match more than one type of green and black olives. Use your favorites. My one strong recommendation is to use unpitted olives. They always taste better than already pitted ones. Simply set out a small bowl for the discarded pits when serving.

Ingredients 

1 lb or 450g good quality unpitted green olives 

8 oz or 225g good quality unpitted black olives

2-3 small chili peppers

3 cloves garlic

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 lemon

1 large chili pepper

½ cup or 120ml good quality extra virgin olive oil

Method

Mince the garlic and the small chili peppers and put them in a bowl that will be large enough for all of the olives.

With a sharp knife, pare the zest off of the lemon, taking care to leave the white pith behind as best you can.

Add it to the bowl. Cut the lemon in half. Squeeze the juice from lemon halves into the bowl.

Strip the leaves off of the rosemary and thyme. Chop them roughly.

Slice the large chili pepper and add it to the bowl along with the herbs. Give it all a good stir.

Gently warm the olive oil to about 100°F or 38°C. Pour it in the bowl and leave to infuse and cool for a few minutes. 

Add in the olives and give the whole thing a good stir. 

Leave to marinate for an hour or two unrefrigerated, then store in a glass jar or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 weeks. I put mine in a container and tossed it around to mix again the next couple of days, when I thought about it. 

Best served at room temperature with drinks of your choice! L'apéro at home! 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the 15th edition of Alphabet Challenge 2026, brought to you by the letter O. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the O recipes below:

• Apple Cider Old Fashioned from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• BBQ Deviled Eggs with Crispy Fried Onions from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Gumbo-laya Stew from A Messy Kitchen 
• Marinated Apéro Olives from Food Lust People Love
• Olive Oil-Cured Chevre-Filled Cigarillos from Culinary Cam
• Onion and Olive Oil Focaccia with Sea Salt from Sizzling Tastebuds
• Onion Swirls from Magical Ingredients
• Orange Blueberry Waffles from Jolene’s Recipe Journal
• Pumpkin Olan from Mayuri’s Jikoni
• Rhubarb and Strawberry Baked Oatmeal from Karen’s Kitchen Stories

Here are my posts for the 2026 alphabet challenge, thus far:

A: Ají de Cerdo aka Peruvian Pork Stew

B: Baby Cos Peach Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing 

C. Traditional Cullen Skink 

D. Coconut Cream Date Caramel 

E. Edamame Summer Salad 

F. Lamb Feta Mint Patties 

G. Ricotta Gnocchi à la Poêle 

H. Hazelnut Vodka 

I. Italian Sausage Stuffed Mini Peppers - this post!

J. Jägersuppe - Hunter's Soup 

K. Easy Chicken Kapama 

L. Easy Lamb Shoulder Roast 

M. Miso Chocolate Cookies 

N. Duck Egg Narjissiya 

O. Marinated Apéro Olives - this post!

To check out the Alphabet Challenges for 2024 and 2025, click here.

Pin these Marinated Apéro Olives!

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