Stuffed X'mas Chicken

For Xmas eve I made a stuffed x'mas chicken . I opted for chicken instead of turkey cos:
a. turkey is too damn big for a small family like mine
b. turkey is more expensive than chicken
c. turkey is too ang-mohlish
d. turkey meat is not as tender as chicken meat
e. turkey cannot fit into my oven

Recipe for stuffed x'mas chicken

Ingredients

1 chicken, approx. 1.5kg, cleaned and wiped dry
25g butter, melted for basting
Seasoning for chicken (A) combine:
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp brandy

Filling:

1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped big onions
100g fresh chestnuts, shelled
50g carrot, diced
1 potato, diced
75g button mushrooms, diced
2 slices day-old white bread, crust removed and diced
1 egg, lightly beaten

Seasoning for filling:

1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
Dash of ground black pepper

Glaze for chicken (combine):

1/2 cup water
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp honey

Method
Rub chicken inside and out with combined seasoning (A). Hang the bird in an airy place to dry.
Parboil potatoes and chestnuts until tender. Simmer carrots in boiling water until soft. Drain.
Saute garlic and onions in melted butter and oil till fragrant. Add button mushrooms, cooked chestnuts, potatoes and carrots. Mix in seasoning and stir-fry well. Dish out to cool slightly.
Add breadcrumbs and beaten egg. Mix well.
Stuff filling into cavity of chicken. (Do not pack too much filling or the skin may burst during cooking.) Secure the opening with two or three cocktail sticks or sew up with thick thread.
Bring the combined glaze ingredients to a low boil for five to l0 minutes. Leave aside to cool completely. Brush chicken evenly with cooled glaze mixture.
Place chicken on a roasting tray, breast side down, brush lightly with melted butter and roast in a preheated oven at 190ºC for 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove tray from oven and turn the bird breast side up. Brush with glaze and roast for 10 minutes. Remove tray from oven and brush bird with melted butter and glaze then continue to roast for a further 50 to 60 minutes or until cooked through.


Note
For the last 15 minutes of cooking time, brush chicken frequently with pan drippings. To test if chicken is cooked, pierce a skewer at the thickest part of the bird, the juice will run clear and not pink.