What can I do with my chicken?

[Treighsie]

I picked up a chicken at the store yesterday. It's one of those oven-roasters. Should I just put it in the oven, or what else can I do with it? And after me and the kids eat some meat, what should I do with the rest of it?

[dogmom327]

I generally either roast whole chickens in the oven or cook them all day on low in the crock pot. Before cooking, I salt and pepper them and then usually rub in some thyme, lemon pepper or whatever sounds good.

Once you've had your meal, just pick the rest of the meat off and use it for another meal (it freezes well to). I use left over meat to make tacos, casserole, stir fry, etc.

If you want to be really thorough, you can use the leftover carcass (bones, skin, etc.) to make stock. Just put the carcass in a stock pot (or crock pot), add a few tablespoons of vinegar (white or apple cider work well), some veggies (or scraps such as peels from carrots, celery tops, onions, etc.), cover with water and let it sit for an hour. Next, bring it to a boil, then let it simmer for 6-48 hours. Homemade stock is great for soup or any place you would use water in a recipe. I use stock to cook rice, potatoes, pasta or in place of water when I make taco meat. It's full of vitamins and minerals so it adds some nutritional punch as well as flavor.

[rkirkeby]

I cook mine in a crock pot & pick all the meat off. From the last one I got 1 casserole, 1 big pot of chicken & rice soup & some chicken salad.

[Treighsie]

So I can freeze already-cooked chicken?

[MommyToNoah]

Originally Posted by Treighsie So I can freeze already-cooked chicken?

I would.

If you are looking for different ideas for the chicken, you could use the extras and make chicken enchiladas, chicken salad, fajitas,

[djbabygirl]

Rachael Ray's site always has creative things to do with leftovers, especially chicken!

[tonewinwy]

You can freeze it after it's been cooked. Ham is the same way.


You can make a Chicken Pot Pie out of the leftover Chicken meat.

[baturay]

I love roasting chicken! I usually roast a whole chicken that I've seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme (if I have some, I stuff some sliced lemons in the body). We eat that night and with the left overs I usually do something with pasta the next day, make chicken soup (using the chicken bones to make the broth) or casserole. And yep, you can freeze cooked chicken

[artemis33]

I rub the skin with a paste of butter, salt and herbs (either poultry seasoning, thyme or rosemary usually - lots of possibilities here) the roast until done. Eat that with sides on night one.

Day two - pick all the meat off and use for sandwiches, chicken salad, quesadillas, chicken pot pie, chicken soup, etc. Again, many options.

Then I make broth with the carcass - like Dogmom mentioned above. Add some ACV to the water and let it sit a while then simmer for several hours on the stove - or in the crock pot overnight.

You can definitely freeze some of the already cooked meat if you can't use it right away. You can do the same with all of the leftover bits to make broth if you can't get to it right away.

I've been doing this almost weekly for the past year or two and love it! Great way to use everything up and the homemade broth is delicious and nutritious