Roasted Chicken-5 From the Farmers Kitchen

Last week, I shared how I get 5 meals from a whole raw chicken.  This week, I want to share my favorite 5 meal ideas from a whole roasted chicken.  I usually figure 1 Roasting-size chicken for every 2 people, to get 5 meals.  Make extra and freeze for fast and easy lunches.  

I love putting a bunch of chickens on the smoker all at once and letting them cook with little attention.  You can do the same in an oven at 375°F for 70-80 minutes, or until the breast reaches 160°F. 

Here’s how I use a whole roasted chicken to easily make five nourishing, easy, no-waste meals:

5 From the Farmers' Kitchen:  Whole Roasted Chicken 

1. Roasted Chicken:  

While the chicken is hot out of the oven or off the smoker, eat the parts your family loves roasted.  This may be a mix-and-match.  Serve with the veggies or your choice.After this first meal, I like to get all the meat from the bones and back and put it in a container for easy cooking the rest of the week.  As soon as I do that, I take the bones and back to start broth for sipping and soup.

2. Chicken Salad (One Breast)  
If we have cooked chicken breast in the kitchen, it’s almost always used to make chicken salad.  My family loves mayo-based (our mason jar mayo recipe) chicken salad with finely diced veggies, pickle, and hard-boiled egg.  Eaten on its own, over a bed of greens, or in a sandwich, it's a hit that does not last long.  If you don’t love chicken salad, cube the roasted breast and add it to your favorite green salad.

3. BBQ’ed Chicken

Shred up part of the second breast along with meat from the drumsticks, add your favorite BBQ sauce, and you have BBQ’ed chicken.  We serve it with coleslaw, caramelized onions, and roasted potatoes, on a bun or bread if desired.  If you shred the chicken after it’s roasted, this meal can be ready fast!  Just put the chicken in a frying pan on medium heat, add a little broth until hot, and then add the sauce.  A weeknight meal that is faster than ordering out.

4. Chicken Pasta

Similar to the BBQ’ed chicken, warm the shredded or cut-up chicken in a saucepan with a little broth and add your favorite pasta sauce.  If you have the time, you can add chopped bell peppers and onions to the pan before the chicken and cook until soft.  Serve with pasta or zoodles, or my favorite pasta alternative is finely sliced cabbage and onions sauteed until soft with some Italian seasoning. 

5. Soup from the back and bones. 
After you part the chicken, put the back and bones in a slow cooker or pot on the stove, cover with water, and cook for 24 hours with salt, pepper, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.  After a day, strain the broth and remove any meat from the neck and back.  Add the leftover meat from the other meals, any veggies, and season to taste.  Simmer for 20 minutes or until veggies are tender. A soup is a great way to use up veggies that may be going soft or that aren't enough for a full side dish on their own.  We often add some chopped potatoes or rice.  You could also add noodles.

That’s five meals from one bird, using every part—just the way food has been cooked for generations.Buying a whole chicken isn’t about being fancy or frugal for the sake of it. It’s about honoring the animal, feeding your family well, and making the most of what you bring into your kitchen.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by a whole bird, I hope these ideas inspire you; you’ve got this—and we’re always here to help.  If you’ve mastered cooking with whole chickens, I’d love to hear your favorite ways to use them.

From our pasture to your table,
 Aila