Things To Do With A Whole Chicken?

[midori1999]

I thought if everyone added their ideas, this might be a good thread.

I bought a chicken today, which is what got me thinking about it. I always buy free range chickens for ethical reasons and as they are expensive I try and make them last at least two meals, which is between 2 adults and 2-3 children, depending on whether my eldest son is here or not.

Today I have cut the breasts off and used onions, mushrooms, chicken stock and some leftover double cream to make a pie filling. I've done six pies and have enough mixture left over to thin off with a bit more chicken stock and make a sort of chicken supreme for myself and my two sons tonight. (Husband is working late so not having dinner).

Then I have used the rest of the chicken to make a stock and then using the cooked meat from the bones and some veg that needed using up, plus a bit of 'soup mix' (pulses, pearl barley etc) made a chicken and winter vegetable broth. It's quite hearty, so with some home made bread it will make a meal in itself, plus a lunch probably.

So, that's four meals with one chicken.

What does everyone else do?

 

[Tegans Mama]

If I buy a chicken I generally buy the biggest I can find (last week it was a 2.4kg one) and make it into 3-4 meals. Last week we had a "christmas dinner" (with all the trimmings ), a chicken in fresh cream and mushroom sauce, chicken and mushroom pie, and sometimes OH will make a curry too. We also have chicken sandwiches for one of the days' lunch.

I get quite stuck for ideas so it's always the same thing - plus we are stuck for freezer space so can't make it stretch as far as I'd like.

 

[sanouette]

Well if i get whole chicken either i stuff it with thin rice noodles crushed almonds parsley and some seasoning plus little bit of saffron and cook it as a whole and the leftover make it as sandwiches for the next day, or i cut off the thighs and wings marinate them sprinkle them with oil and stick the in the oven, the breast un-skin slice into strips and then make sweet and sour chicken and serve them with some rice, and the rest (liver, neck...) usually use it as a side dish or in soups my fiance love em. i personally don't fancy em that much.