Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400┬░F.
Remove the neck and giblets from, then rinse and pat dry:
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds each) or 2 rock Cornish hens (at least 1 1/2 pounds each)
Prepare:
Spinach Ricotta Stuffing or Duxelles
Butterfly the bird(s) - see How to Cut Up Poultry. Inserting your hand at the wing end of the breast, loosen the skin over the breast and around the thigh and drumstick. Generously pack the stuffing under the skin, first pushing it over the drumstick and thigh and then over the breast. Cut a 1/2-inch slit in the skin on either side of the breast, about 1 inch from the tip, and slip the end of 1 drumstick into each opening. Smooth the stuffing with your hands to give the bird(s) a plump but natural shape (see Stuffing a Chicken Under the Skin). Place the bird(s) skin side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with:
1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter
Roast until the thickest part of the thigh exudes clear juices when pricked deeply with a fork and registers 170┬░ to 175┬░F on an instant-read thermometer, 45 to 50 minutes for the chicken, 25 to 30 minutes for the hens. Let stand for 10 minutes.
