Once upon a Thanksgiving, a culinary innovator in Louisiana had a wild idea: Why settle for one bird when you can have three? Thus, the legendary turducken was born — a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey; all roasted together in glorious poultry harmony.
Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme is credited with creating the dish in 1982 and even trademarked the name. The idea of nesting birds inside one another dates back centuries — most famously with the 19th-century French creation known as the rôti sans pareil, or “roast without equal,” which featured up to 17 birds stuffed one inside another. The turducken continues the long culinary tradition known as engastration — the art of cooking one animal inside another.
The turducken, however, stood out for its balance of flavors. The rich duck kept the lean turkey moist, while the chicken added tenderness. Stuffed with spicy cornbread or sausage dressing, it became the ultimate centerpiece for adventurous holiday tables.
By the early 2000s, turducken had strutted onto football fields and into family feasts alike. Thanksgiving Day game commentators even celebrated it as a marvel of ingenuity and excess.
Today, the turducken endures as a showstopping dish — equal parts creativity, indulgence and Southern flair.
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