There will always be a time when money is short so its best to learn to get the most from each whole chicken, even if we do have to home can the last meal, its food waiting for you.
I do not throw anything away, "everything," even the bones will be used.
Meal One : One breast is made into chicken nuggets by cutting the breast in long strips and then into cubes or "nuggets." I mix up flour and my spices. I wet the nuggets and drag them into the flour mixture and drop into hot grease and fry till light brown, drain on a paper towel. I serve this with a baked potato and sweet peas.
Makes two meals.
Meal two : I cook the other breast as I did for the nuggets but I refrigerate overnight and I make a huge vegetable filled salad for dinner, I chop the cold fried nuggets into smaller pieces.
I then toss the chicken into sweet and sour sauce and dress the salad with ginger sesame dressing.
Or toss in Texas Pete`s hot sauce and dress the salad with ranch dressing.
Makes two meals.
Meal three : B-B-Q chicken thighs and drumsticks. Grill time! Toss them on the grill and cook till done, using your favorite b-b-q sauce.
Serve with grilled corn and baked beans.
Makes two meals.
Meal four : Remember I said " throw nothing away?" You can freeze the bones and skins to do this at a later day, if you want.
Boil the back bone of the chicken and the breast bone that still has a small amount of chicken attached and skin for a couple of hours in water over low heat.
Remove the chicken bones from the broth and allow to cool, remove the chicken from the bones.
I got 2 cups of chicken and four cups of broth. Put this in the refrigerator over night.
Remove the yellow fat from the top of the cold broth (note: you can save an use this fat for frying)
Next day. Chop one onion, a couple ribs of celery, a couple carrots and a few potatoes.
Cook all the vegetables in the chicken broth, add garlic and parsley. Salt to your taste. Add the 2 cups of chicken pieces and a cup of cooked pasta and you have chicken noodle soup!
Depending on how many vegetables you add depends on how many meals this will make but I would say 4 of more.
BUT ....do not forget you have all those soft chicken bones and skins, the dogs get a treat! Since the bones are so soft they are safe for the dogs. And that makes two treats.
Now that is how to use a whole chicken.
By Andria Perry
Photos by Andria Perry
